Today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. It is one of the two Sundays of the year that we use the color Rose. It tells us that Advent is almost over and to rejoice!
We are about to begin our 90th year as a parish. We are looking for more history of the parish as well as ideas on how to celebrate this great anniversary. Why not spend a little time looking at the pictures of the priest and deacons who have served here? Maybe you will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to contribute a great idea or two for this coming year.
There is a new community organizing effort taking shape in Northern Indiana. It is called NE-ICAN. I have attended two clergy meetings. It is an interfaith organization looking at systemic change for the better. The diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend backs this with groups in Fort Wayne, Elkhart and St. Joe counties. It should develop into a lay led organization to make things better for everyone. If you would like more info on this group, please see me, Father Len. This is a leadership development process.
Our readings today involve all the main characters of Advent. In our first reading we hear from the Prophet Isaiah. The Israelites have returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity and have the big job of rebuilding ahead of them. I’ m sure more than one of them was saying where do we start this difficult job. Isaiah tells them it is God’s work and that they should rejoice in it. “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul.”
Our Responsorial Psalm is usually a psalm from the Old Testament but today we have Mary’s Magnificat. Once again there is joy for Mary doing God’s work of bringing Jesus into the world. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
In our second reading St. Paul tells the Thessalonians “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.” Be holy!
In the Gospel, we have John the Baptist, rejoicing in doing his work as well. “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord.” He also says about Jesus: “there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me.”
One of the hallmarks of a Christian is joy. True joy comes to us when we are doing the work God created us to do, when we are being holy by bringing God’s love into the world around us. Come, Lord Jesus, help us spread your joy to the world!
The National Black Catholic Congress has published a Pastoral Plan of Action. It can be found on their website.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.