Advent has come to its completion, and now we ready ourselves these next few days for our Savior’s birth.  This is a joyous moment in the life of the Church!  Thank you, Mary, for your YES.
 
All the imposed Advent pressures from within and without are fading away.  Did we make this Advent a “good one”?  Did we grow in holiness, pray more, sacrifice more, prepare more for Him?  It is easy to get ourselves wrapped up in claiming our own perfections based on this or that result.  The bottom-line question is did we try to make space for a warm and life-giving faith in Christ this Advent, or did our feeble attempts remain cold and formal?  What remains: God is a loving Father who rejoices when His children simply try, even if we “didn’t succeed”.
 
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 526: “Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us.  Christmas is the mystery of this ‘marvelous exchange’:
O marvelous exchange!  Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin.  We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.”
 
If you want to discover how to share in Christ’s divinity more fully and to develop an intimate, personal relationship with Him, the Parish will be offering a 7-week series in the new year on Sunday afternoons February 23rd – April 5th in the Parish Life Center.  There is no cost to participate, and child care will be available.  Learn more and register at www.queenofheavenparish.org/christlife. 
 
A Blessed Christmas to you all!
Steve Dyer

Merry Christmas and Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!
 
Are you confused??? Are you wondering why the statue of the Baby Jesus is still in the manger in the front of our altar? Are you wondering why the Gospel we hear today is of Jesus being baptized as an adult in the River Jordon?
 
Let’s clear up the confusion… we conclude the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord Jesus because He was not content only to be born only in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, but He also came to be born again in you and me by our baptism. Jesus came to share in our humanity so that we could share in His divinity. Our baptism gives us our identity. We are God’s sons and daughters, God’s children. Just let that thought sink in.
 
The advertising media is constantly telling us we don’t measure up:  we are not as beautiful, as shapely, as energetic, as popular, as successful, as wonderful, or as happy as we should be. But don’t despair, the ad tells us the product they have will make everything better. It will solve our problem and make us over into someone worthwhile. But God has already made us someone worthwhile!
 
Yes, God loves you. We are His people made in His image and likeness called not to deface or destroy that dignity but called to live up to that image. It defines why we do what we do and to be the best we can be so we can live up to our baptism every day. Saying “NO” to sin, selfishness and Satan, and “YES” to the Lord and the way of love!
 
I would like to end with this true story of St. Louis, King of France:
 
     St. Louis, King of France, always cherished great respect and affection for the place of his baptism. Often, he would kneel down before the sacred baptismal font in the Castle Chapel at Poissy where he had been baptized and pass hours in acts of thanksgiving to God for the favors bestowed upon him in that holy sacrament. When asked by his courtiers why he went so often to this insignificant, little chapel, why he preferred it to the grand and stately cathedral at Rheims, in which he had been crowned king, he used to reply:
 
     “Have I not good reason for being more fond of the spot where I obtained the dignity of Christian than of the place where I received only the empty, fleeting honors of an earthly king? At Rheims I was decorated with the crown of my father and anointed as an earthly ruler. But a Poissy I was adorned with the precious crown of Jesus Christ and anointed as a child of God. By my coronation at Rheims I received the right only to rule over my subjects, and to sit upon an earthly throne, whose power and splendor must leave me at my death. But at my Baptism in Poissy, on the contrary, I received the right to sit upon a throne of everlasting glory in heaven.”
 
Peace in JMJ,
 
Father Dave

As the Church celebrates Epiphany today, let’s take a moment and in our minds go on an imaginary journey back to Galilee where a wise Jewish grandmother teaches us a truth of our faith. The fable goes like this:
 
A certain woman lived in Galilee two-thousand years ago. Old bubbe (Yiddish for “grandmother”) Elisheva was a holy woman. She read the Scriptures, and she knew that the long-awaited Savior was to be born in Bethlehem. So, she gathered all her meager possessions and moved to David’s city. There she lived in a simple house and prayed each day that God would let her know when the Savior was born. She intended to offer what little she had as a gift to the newborn King. One night after a simple supper, she turned out the light and went to bed. But before she fell asleep there was a knock at the door. She wondered “Who could it be at this hour?” She lit the lamp and opened the door.
 
There she saw three strangers with camels standing before her. “The Savior is born,” they announced, “and we have come from the east to worship him! We were told in a dream to stop here and to bring you along with us. We have gifts to offer and we know that you do too.” Old bubbe Elisheva rejoiced “The time has come; the Savior is born!” But it was late, and the night was cold and so she decided that she would go and present her gifts the next day. She learned from the strangers the exact directions to the stable. Then she sent them on their way. The next morning, she arose with the sun and gathered together all of her gifts: food, clothing, money – all that she had. She followed the directions to the stable. When she entered, it was empty. The Holy Family had already departed. Old bubbe Elisheva was grief-stricken.
 
But just like many grandmas are, Elisheva was a determined woman. “I’ll keep looking for them,” she decided, “they couldn’t have gone too far.” And so old bubbe Elisheva began her journey. She asked everyone she met, “Do you know of a poor child perhaps to be found in a manager, perhaps even living on the street?”
 
And thus, she continued to look, week after week, month after month. She found many poor children everywhere. She found many a cradle, many a manger, and many a mother nursing her child – but no Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In each place, however, she left a part of the gift that she had intended to give to the Christ child. In time, all that she had was gone. Then, she returned to her own home empty-handed and sad in not having seen the baby Jesus.
 
That night, Jesus appeared to old bubbe in a dream. “There you are!” she exclaimed, “I have looked everywhere for you and haven’t been able to find you. I had gifts to give you but now they’re gone – I have nothing to offer you.” “I know,” said Jesus, “and I have received each one. For whatever you gave to the least of my brothers or sisters you gave to me.” Old bubbe Elisheva was elated. She was satisfied – she could now die content. Elisheva hadn’t seen the Christ child in the manger as the Kings had, but she had truly seen him in others as she lived his Gospel.
 
At times we may think “What a blessing it would be if only I could have seen Jesus in the crib or walked with him on the streets of Nazareth. What a boost that would be to my faith!” But old bubbe tells us otherwise. Her story reminds us that Christ, Emmanuel, is with us always and everywhere – in our hearts and souls and in the hearts and souls of those who surround us. And more than that: how fortunate we are to live in this time and place knowing that Christ is alive and ever-present waiting for each of us now in the Blessed Sacrament!
 
During this season of Christmas and always, may the Christ child be your heart and your life!
 
Deacon Steve

Merry Christmas and Happy Feast of the Holy Family!
 
Just four days ago we were in church celebrating Christmas Day and now we are celebrating the Sunday we call “The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” They are still the model for all of us for what “Family Life” is all about. We get many clues on having a proper family life from the first two readings this weekend for this wonderful feast.
 
First, from the book of Sirach (the first reading): “Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.  My son take care of your father when he is old…kindness to a father will not be forgotten.” Second, from St. Paul to the Colossians: Clothe yourself with “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.”
 
We also hear elsewhere in the gospels these words: “He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.” When He was 12 years-old, they found him in the temple and those words (was obedient to them) sum-up the next 18 years of Jesus’s life until He began his public ministry at age 30 when being baptized in the River Jordan. I think He was trying to tell us something about how important our families are: to cherish them and to work hard in keeping them united in love and respect.
 
The Gospel says: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.”  In other words, the example of the Holy Family to all of us is the importance of prayer. As the old saying says, “The family that prays together, stays together.”
 
There is so much we could say about Jesus, Mary and Joseph, The Holy Family of Nazareth, and about what they teach us today, but I would like to share with you a few words from St. Pope Paul VI during the turbulent years of the 60’s when he was pope. He made a pilgrimage to Nazareth in January of 1964 and he wrote about the Holy Family during that occasion (and this message is still relevant today). The following is an excerpt of that writing:
 
     First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to mediate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers. Nazareth can teach us the value of study and preparation of meditation, of a well-ordered personal spiritual life, and of silent prayer that is known only by God.
     Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplifying its basic function in society: a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings; in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children—and for this there is no substitute.
     Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would especially like to recognize its value—demanding yet redeeming—and to give it proper respect. I would remind everyone that work has its own dignity. On the other hand, it is not an end in itself. Its value and free character, however, derive not only from its place in the economic system, as they say, but rather from the purpose it serves.
     In closing, may I express my deep regard for people everywhere who work for a living. To them I would point out their great model, Christ their brother, our Lord and God, who is their prophet in every cause that promotes their well-being.
 
Peace in JMJ,
Father Dave
 
P.S. Many thanks to all who donated for poinsettias for the church environment and for all those who came to decorate our church for the Christmas season. How beautiful it looks! Also, a special thank you to Matthew Andreski, our Music Director, and to the choir, who inspired us with their beautiful music at Christmas (and always).
If you haven’t already taken a drive around our property and roundabout to look at the 15 Nativity displays, please do so. There is no doubt that Jesus is the best gift at Christmas. Remember…the Christmas season continues through January 12^th, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!

Advent has come to its completion, and now we ready ourselves these next few days for our Savior’s birth.  This is a joyous moment in the life of the Church!  Thank you, Mary, for your YES!
 
All the imposed Advent pressures from within and without are fading away.  Did we make this Advent a “good one”?  Did we grow in holiness, pray more, sacrifice more, prepare more for Him?  It is easy to get ourselves wrapped up in claiming our own perfections based on this or that result.  The bottom-line question is did we try to make space for a warm and life-giving faith in Christ this Advent, or did our feeble attempts remain cold and formal?  What remains: God is a loving Father who rejoices when His children simply try, even if we “didn’t succeed”.
 
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 526: “Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us.  Christmas is the mystery of this ‘marvelous exchange’:
O marvelous exchange!  Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin.  We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.”
 
If you want to discover how to share in Christ’s divinity more fully and to develop an intimate, personal relationship with Him, the Parish will be offering a 7-week series in the new year on Sunday afternoons February 23rd – April 5th in the Parish Life Center.  There is no cost to participate, and child care will be available.  Learn more and register at www.queenofheavenparish.org/christlife. 
 
A Blessed Christmas to you all!
Steve Dyer

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal recently that was rather disturbing, and I wanted to share it with you…
 

Religiosity, Church Attendance Fall Sharply
By Ian Lovett

Religiosity in the U.S. is in sharp decline, according to a study released by the Pew Research Center on Thursday, with the ranks of people who don’t adhere to any faith growing fast while church attendance has fallen steeply.
 
Christians make up 65% of the U.S. adult population, according the 2018-2019 study, down from 77% in 2009. At the same time, those who don’t identify with any religion—often known as “nones”—now make up more than a quarter of the population, compared with 17% a decade ago. Only 45% of adults said they attended church at least once a month, down from 52% in 2009.
 
The data reflect a continuing social reordering that has seen the population shift away from Christianity and toward religious disaffiliation.
 
Some “nones” are atheists or agnostics, while others consider themselves to be spiritual but don’t adhere to a particular religious tradition.
 
Every age group, racial group and region of the country is less Christian than a decade ago, according to the study.
 
Less than half of millennials, the youngest demographic group in the study, identify as Christian; 40% of them are unaffiliated. The oldest demographic group, born between 1928 and 1945 and known as the Silent Generation, is 84% Christian and 10% unaffiliated.
 
Protestants fell to 43% of the population, down from 51% in 2009, while Catholics fell 3 percentage points, to 20%. Other Christians—neither Catholic nor Protestant—make up the other 2%.
 
Within the 26% of U.S. adults who are religiously unaffiliated, atheists grew to 4% of the overall population from 2%; agnostics grew to 5% from 3%, and those who identify as “nothing in particular” rose to 17% from 12%.
 
Non-Christian religions largely held steady. Jews remain at 2% of the population and Muslims are at 1%.
 
*Note: Other Christian includes Mormon and Orthodox Christians; Non-Christian faiths include Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and other; Unaffiliated includes atheist and agnostic.
Source: Pew Research Center telephone polls, most recently 12,738 people conducted July 2019.

 
Let us pray for a deepening of faith in God and in this country, and let it begin with you and me.
 
Peace in JMJ,
 
Father Dave

It’s hard to believe, but here we are nearing the end of our calendar year and at the same time beginning a new Liturgical year. And with that, it’s a time that many family traditions are recalled and experienced.
As we know, traditions are behaviors or actions that we engage in again and again – regular rituals that we purposely perform at the same time and in the same way – actions that require thought and intentionality on our part. Traditions offer many benefits to our families such as providing a source of identity, strengthening the family bond, offering comfort and a sense of security, teaching values, connecting generations and passing on cultural and religious heritage. 
One of the most ancient of Catholic traditions is praying the O Antiphons. These seven antiphons are part of the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours from December 17^th through the 23^rd, the octave before Christmas. These antiphons (all beginning with “O”) are based on Isaiah’s prophecies and refer to different exalted Biblical titles given to our Lord. Through the repeated use of the word “Come!” in the antiphons we as Christians express our longing for the Divine Messiah.
Why not begin a new family tradition this year? Consider using these ancient prayers throughout the day as simple reminders of the One whose coming we are joyfully expecting, as introductions to our own prayers of praise to Jesus, or as words of thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness throughout the ages and in our lives. Let these words of Scripture speak to us; perhaps they’ll become part of our family traditions for generations to come.
So, here they are ready for you to clip and fasten on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror, affix to your advent wreath or place on your kitchen table:

December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!

During this period of joyful waiting, may God grant you his peace, his grace, his light and his most holy consolations!
Deacon Steve

Happy New Year everyone! Today begins the new liturgical year with the season
of Advent; it is the four weeks that we spiritually prepare ourselves for the Feast
of the Nativity of the Lord. There are many opportunities available at Queen of
Heaven. Here are some suggestions:
1) Make an effort to come to an extra Mass during the week; we added an
evening Mass on the Mondays of Advent at 5:30 p.m., this is in addition to our
regular daily Mass at 8:30 a.m. We also have several Masses at 1:30 p.m. at
the area senior residences: All Tuesdays at Greenview Senior Assisted Living;
Monday, December 9th at Gables of Green; Wednesday, December 11th
at Brier Creek Independent Senior Living; and Friday, December 6th at the
Village of St. Edward. Check the Advent and Christmas Liturgy & Devotion
Schedule listed in this bulletin.
2) I encourage you to make room at the “Inn of Your Soul” by going to Confession.
See inside this bulletin for all the different dates for the opportunity for
Reconciliation.
3) Spend some time in the Adoration Chapel…Wise Men and Wise Women still
adore Him!
Hope to see you at the Pancake Breakfast in the Church Basement this weekend
after the 8:15 a.m. Sunday Mass.
P.S. Several people have asked me for a copy of these words of wisdom from Pope
Francis that I read during one of my sermons….

A GENTLE REMINDER FROM POPE FRANCIS
This life will go by fast.
Don’t fight with people, don’t criticize your body so much,
don’t complain so much.
Don’t lose sleep over your bills. Look for the person that makes you happy. If you
make a mistake, let it go and keep seeking your happiness.
Never stop being a good parent. Don’t worry so much about buying luxuries and
comforts for your home, and don’t kill yourself trying to leave an inheritance for
your family. Those benefits should be earned by each person, so don’t dedicate
yourself to accumulating money.
Enjoy travel, enjoy your journeys, see new places, give yourself the pleasures you
deserve. Allow dogs to get closer. Don’t put away the fine glassware. Utilize the
new dinnerware; don’t save your favorite perfume, use it to go out with yourself;
wear out your favorite sport shoes; repeat your favorite clothes.
So what? That’s not bad. Why not now? Why not pray now instead of waiting
until before you sleep? Why not call now? Why not forgive now? We wait so long
for Christmas; for Friday; for Reunions; for another year; for when I have money;
for love to come; when everything is perfect... look...
Everything perfect doesn’t exist.
Human beings can’t accomplish this because it simply was not intended to be
completed here. Here is an opportunity to learn.
So take this challenge that is life and do it now... love more, forgive more,
embrace more, love more intensely and leave the rest in God’s hands. Amen.

Peace in JMJ,
Father Dave

THE HEART

"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open," he continued, "to see how much damage has been done..."
“But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there," said the boy.
The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest back up, and I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart."
The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."
"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."

The surgeon left.
The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery, "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis (here he paused): death within one year."
He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said, "Why?", he asked aloud. "Why, God, did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"
The Lord answered and said, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?"
The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for He has done his duty. I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept.

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him.
The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes", said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there", said the surgeon.

Author Unknown