Have you ever noticed how Eternity can seemingly be compressed into an instant in our everyday life? Future deadlines, events, anticipations, and happenings that seen an eternity away can sneak up on us in an instant. What looks like it’s a long way off, is suddenly upon us in the blink of an eye. Think of an engaged couple planning for that wonderful future day of the wedding, which shows up before they know it. Or the long years of high school or college that were gone seemingly the day after you picked up your first semester’s class schedule. Or the day you packed your child off to college when it seemed you were just nervously fitted them for a car seat. Even the months of a pregnancy pass sometimes before you’ve even gotten the nursery fully ready. We can think, ‘there, is always tomorrow. I’ll still have time.’
Here in the middle of October with fall colors about us, December feels like an eternity from now, but we know it will be here in an instant. Christmas is not really even on the radar, but its only 62 days away. I’m not trying to get your shopping panic going. Rather, I’m thinking about the wonderful birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Mother Mary was only all too aware of the days remaining. At nearly 32 weeks pregnant, she was in her third trimester. Anticipation and awareness were only too much upon her mind. Perhaps, word had just reach her from Joseph, or the local town gossip, that Caesar Augustus had decreed that the whole world should be enrolled. Maybe she and Joseph were making plans for their arduous journey to Bethlehem. In an instant, what was already an unusual pregnancy was getting stranger and more difficult. The impending birth of her son, the “Son of the Most High,” was very much on her mind, in her heart, and in her womb. For her, it was central and near… The world however was oblivious and far off. Eternity was to take on Flesh in an instant and was to step into time.
At the start of Advent, HF will host 40 Hours with Mary waiting for Jesus. It will be an opportunity to enter for an instant into an experience of the Eternal. To wait in prayer and preparation with Mary for the arrival of her son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are going to host a 40-Hours Devotion from Friday December 3 through Sunday December 5. It will be 40 hours of continuous Adoration and Exposition of the Eucharist. Yes, that is correct, around the clock. Mary was continuously pregnant with Jesus for 40 weeks, we will offer 40 hours of continuous prayer and presence. While the world is busy preparing for secular ‘Xmas’, we will have a chance to set a different tone for Advent and the coming Christmas season.
I bring this up, because the parish has already begun making arrangements, and in early November we will start sign-ups. Unlike our HF Lenten Adoration, sign-ups will be for just a single hour – this is a ‘one and done’. And so, while I know December can be busy, the commitment is more easily made and fulfilled. Look for more info to come.
November 5-6 will be the Pledge Weekend for the Unite Catholic Appeal – United in the Eucharist Archdiocesan Campaign. This annual appeal helps to support a number of ministries and mission outreach that is larger than any single parish or deanery, including the education of our seminarians. Of which Holy Family is happy to be hosting two from the Archdiocese for weekly ministry – Deacon Michael Clawson and Jose Neri. All registered members of Holy Family Parish should be receiving information in the mail in the next few weeks. More information will be here in the bulletin and our multimedia soon. The theme this year certainly makes me smile – nowhere are we called to be more united than in Eucharist!
Holy Family, Always close to Mary, Pray for us.
~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries