Dear Parishioners:
The Feast of the Lord's Baptism we celebrate this weekend has been celebrated as a separate feast for many centuries. Initially, it was the primary mystery celebrated on January 6 (Feast of Epiphany), but it was separated and assigned a different day over time. Thus it has always been a "Christmas" feast, celebrated within the Christmas cycle. However, it may seem a little strange to have the baby Jesus in the manger still and commemorate a moment during his adult life.
Yet, it is entirely fitting when reflecting on the central mystery of Christ to commemorate his baptism. For both, the feast of the Nativity and Baptism of the Lord highlights the humility of Jesus Christ. In both instances, he displayed his desire to become one with us to raise us up with him. Jesus not only assumed our flesh at the Nativity but became like us in all things except sin. He was baptized by his cousin, St. John the Baptist, even though he did not need baptism.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI explains this in his sermon on the Baptism of the Lord:
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI baptizes a child on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy.
"Jesus shows his solidarity with us, with our efforts to convert and to be rid of our selfishness, to break away from our sins in order to tell us that if we accept him in our life, he can uplift us and lead us to the heights of God the Father. And Jesus' solidarity is not, as it were, a mere exercise of mind and will. Jesus truly immersed himself in our human condition, lived it to the end, in all things save sin, and was able to understand our weakness and frailty. For this reason he was moved to compassion; he chose to 'suffer with' men and women, to become a penitent with us. This is God's work which Jesus wanted to carry out: the divine mission to heal those who are wounded and give medicine to the sick, to take upon himself the sin of the world."
With the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas Season officially ends. And with it the Christmas trees, wreaths, flowers, lights, and the crèche are all taken down. They are put away until next year and we return to the Season of Ordinary Time with its green vestments and simpler decorations.
Many have asked about the annual parish calendar normally distributed during Christmas. Due to the COVID Pandemic, the calendars were not available this year. We thank the Caparco Family of Hill Funeral Home, who always sponsor our beautiful parish calendar. We hope that they return once again next Christmas to hang in our homes and offices. Important dates to note on the Church Calendar in 2021 are Ash Wednesday on February 17, Palm Sunday on March 28, Easter Sunday on April 4, Ascension Thursday on May 13, and Pentecost on May 23. Be sure to put them on your calendar.
The OLM School students were back at in-person classes this past week. They return after a long Christmas break that began with the big snowstorm in December. We welcome them back along with our dedicated faculty and staff, who work hard to make our parish school outstanding.
Boiler room in the Rectory after removal of boiler.
Before Christmas, the Rectory boiler died. After over fifty years it finally gave out. We had hoped it would last until the spring, but alas, it didn't. So we began the process of replacing the boiler the week after Christmas. Thankfully we had a plan in the works, and we could start right away. AA Wrecking and Asbestos Abatement removed all the asbestos from the boiler room. Once done with asbestos, the old boiler and hot water tank, originally installed in the 1960s, had to be demolished and removed.
New England Boiler Works, who did such a superb job installing the new boilers in the convents this past fall, is installing the new rectory boiler. We hope to complete the entire project very soon. In the meantime, we keep warm with electric heaters in the Rectory. Thankfully we have hot water, so we're a bit chilly but very clean! The project is costly and funded by your generous support of the capital campaign. We thank you for this support and we are most grateful as it truly warms us and our hearts!
Stay safe. Be well. Do good. Welcome back and New Year Blessings for the OLM School students and faculty! God Bless.