Dear Parishioners:
With all the warm weather we have been enjoying, it's hard to believe it's November! Hopefully, it is a harbinger of a warm winter with little snow! Given the price of electricity, oil, and natural gas, we would certainly benefit from warmer temperatures in the winter! As Daylight Saving Time has begun, our days are shorter with less sunlight. Winter is approaching and officially begins on December 21st. However, our Church year ends next Sunday with the great Solemnity of Christ the King.
Each year the Church celebrates the Feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday before Advent, also known as the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Catholics have recognized Christ as our King for over 2,000 years. Each time we attend Mass, genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament, or receive a sacrament, we honor our King. Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 with his encyclical Quas Primas ("In the first") to respond to growing secularism and atheism.
His Holiness recognized that attempting to "thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law" out of public life would result in continuing discord among people and nations. This solemnity reminds us that while governments come and go, Christ reigns as King forever.
During the early twentieth century, in Mexico, Russia, and some parts of Europe, militantly secularistic regimes threatened the Catholic Church and its faithful and civilization itself. Pope Pius XI's encyclical gave Catholics hope and—while governments around them crumbled—the assurance that Christ the King shall reign forever. Jesus Christ "is very truth, and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind" (Quas Primas, 7).
Today, just as in 1925, our world continues to experience turbulent times. In addition to political unrest and division, there is war in Ukraine and threats of wars across the globe. People are becoming increasingly more secularized and more materialistic. Church attendance worldwide is also on the decline, especially since the pandemic.
Many push Christ aside as they tend to more "important" matters like sports and leisure activities. Some may not even realize they are doing it. We live in a society where many individuals are caught up in their lives, getting their needs met and focusing on wealth and possessions.
The Feast of Christ the King is a wake-up call for all of us to stop and assess our lives. Do we include our faith in all the decisions we make? Do we only remember to pray when we need something? When we attend Holy Mass, do we actively listen to the Scripture readings and reflect on the messages? When at Holy Mass, do we prayerfully participate and worship Christ?
As we approach the Feast of Christ the King, let the words of Pope Pius XI resonate with us: "He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls."
With Christ the King, we see the end of Ordinary Time in the Church Calendar and begin Advent! Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner! Of course, all the stores have been creating Christmas displays since September!
Speaking of Christmas, the children from OLM are having a Christmas Bazaar with homemade arts and crafts and food next Saturday in Mercy Park. Festive foods and holiday gifts are available from 1:30 pm until 3:30 pm. Be sure to stop by and support the youngsters of our parish family.
The work of installing the new Sacred Heart statue began last week. The statue stands over five feet tall, weighs over 800 pounds, and must be anchored in the ground. We are grateful to OLM Parishioner Aleksus Jagminas for working on this project. It will be a beautiful spot to pray and meditate on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Fr. Mahoney is away this week celebrating his birthday with his parents, who live in Arizona. Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless. Happy Birthday, Fr. Mahoney! Go Pats!