Mary, Mother of God

Article 495

“Called in the Gospels "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her Son, as "the mother of my Lord." In fact, the One whom she conceived as Man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God".”

- Catechism of the Catholic Church


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NOTE

1) The Christmas Season begins with the vigil mass on Christmas Eve and extends through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Sunday, January 13, 2008). Please do not be in a hurry (like the rest of the commercial world) to take down your Christmas Tree or Nativity before the holy season is completed.

2) New Year’s Day is also the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and is observed as a Holy Day of Obligation.

Mass times:

-St. Joseph’s (Amelia) Monday 31^st at 7 pm

- St. Patrick’s: Monday 31^st at 5 pm

and Tuesday, 1^st January at 8, 9:30 & 11 am

HAVE A BLESSED &

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

December 30, 2007 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

A “Stable” Family

A Blessed Home …

The weekend after Christmas the Church celebrates the Feast of the HOLY FAMILY, -Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The image of the Holy Family’s humble beginnings in a lowly stable is present to us during the Christmas season for us to contemplate. Despite the poverty and the plight of the stable, Joseph and Mary’s joy was not diminished in any way and their hearts echoed the joyous song of the angels, giving glory to God on high for the miraculous gift of His beloved Son as a tiny baby.

From this humble stable we find enshrined the perfection of what it means to be a holy family and a blessed home. The Stable and the Home of Nazareth model for us the attributes of a truly Catholic-Christian home. In a succinct and clear manner, we find these attributes for the sanctity and the stability of a home and a family reiterated in our second reading from St. Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21:

A) “Let the peace of Christ control your hearts” - that Christ is present in the hearts of the parents and all members of the family and is the heart and center of the home.

B) “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” - That ‘HOLINESS’, which is the right and loving relationship with God and the right and loving relationship with the members of the home, is always preserved and nurtured.

C) “Let the Word of God dwell in you richly” - That each individual is open and committed to a complete and total “YES” to God’s Will and His Word all the time.

D) There is proper order in the relationships: “Wives giving themselves totally to their husband; Husbands loving their wife and being willing to lay down their life for her; Children obeying their parents in everything, for this is pleasing to God.”

E) “With gratitude in your hearts to God” – That the family acknowledge with prayer, Sunday worship and almsgiving their thanks to God for the gifts of life, love and grace to be happy in this life and to enter into eternity.

Many of you may feel very discouraged about the spiritual state of your families. Be instead confident that the Lord loves each member of your family, even to Death on the Cross. Jesus will change the hardest heart, bless all our efforts, guide us with His wisdom, change our restlessness and difficult circumstances into hope. Be faithful. Consecrate your family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with the intercession of St. Joseph.

May all our Catholic-Christian families be truly ‘Holy Families’ unto the Lord. May they trust in His Divine Providence, in good times and in difficult times with humility, obedience to God’s laws and deep reverence, respect and love for one another in God. May each day and each year be blessed ever more. HAPPY & BLESSED NEW YEAR 2008!

Fr. Francis Nigli