One of our older members of the parish was telling me, “Father, when you get to my age, you think a lot more about the hereafter,” and I asked, “How do you feel about that?” and she said, “Well, I often find myself going into a room and thinking, ‘What did I come in here after?’”

On this first Sunday of Advent, we hear a Gospel, not telling us about Jesus’ birth, but telling us about the hereafter.  We know not the day nor the hour when we will be called to the hereafter, when the Lord will be coming again; we need to be watchful and ready.

For Advent is more than anticipating and preparing for the coming of Christ, historically at Christmas, but His coming again in glory, and His coming right now, every day.

How are we spiritually preparing for Christmas?  I think of all the secular ways we are getting ready – wrapping, shopping, decorating, baking, and partying.

But how are we spiritually preparing?  We get the clue from a word repeated four times in today’s Gospel:
Be watchful;
Be on the watch;
Watch therefore;
What I say to you, I say to all, watch.

What is our Gospel really saying by all that?
Keep our eyes open;
Keep our ears open;
Keep our hearts open for the many ways Christ is coming to us right now, especially in one another and in His sacraments.

Just a reminder, one of those seven sacraments is the sacrament of reconciliation. Isaiah the prophet said, “Prepare a clean path for the Lord.” What a beautiful image of going to Confession. Also remember that the sacrament of reconciliation will be offered on Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. during Advent. Five priests will be available at Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Parish on December 5, at Queen of Heaven Parish on December 12, and at St. Francis de Sales Parish on December 19.

And don’t forget, our Adoration Chapel (a separate building off the church parking lot)  is available 24/7 for prayer.

Of other things:

Please join us for “Living a Joy-filled Life,” a presentation by PJ and Miguel Chavez, on Monday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the church, and also later this week for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation.  Vigil Masses will be Thursday, December 7 at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Holy Day Masses will be Friday, December 8 at 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Have a blessed Advent!

Father Dave

We hear in today’s Gospel: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the king will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the most generous of teachers. At the end of life, we’ll all have to take a final exam, the only exam that really matters. Christ will be the examiner. Our Gospel today from Matthew chapter 25, which foretells of the Judgment of the Nations, gives us clear insight into what this “exam” will involve. Being the generous teacher that He is, Christ in this passage gives us ahead of time not only the questions on the exam, but also the answers – a Divine cheat sheet of sorts.

This cheat sheet uncovers the most precious truth of all, one that men and women have searched for since the very beginning of time: the meaning of life. In the end, all that will matter is what we have done for Christ and our neighbor. We’ll not be asked how much money we made, how many awards we won or how famous we became. Rather, we’ll be asked one question: “What did you do for Me in your neighbor?” Christ teaches us repeatedly in the Gospels by word and example that the secret to happiness in this life and the life to come is self-giving, self-forgetful love, serving the spiritual and material needs of our brothers and sisters, through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ. Only our self-giving – the mark of authentic love—counteracts the propensity to self-centeredness, self-indulgence, and self-sufficiency that has plagued the human family ever since the Fall.

Our God doesn’t sit idly by as we struggle through life, waiting to pass judgment on all our failings. True, judgment will come, because God is fair, but Jesus Christ does all He can to prepare each of us ahead of time for our individual judgment. For example, He came to earth – He became one of us, so that He could teach us the true meaning of life using words and actions that we could understand. Secondly, He stays with us “until the end of time” through the ministry of His Church. The Church makes His teachings known in every age and place, constantly reminding us of the Gospel’s saving truths. In addition, through the Church the Holy Spirit brings life to the Sacraments through which her children are brought into intimate friendship with God. And above all, in real, tangible ways Christ stays at our side in the Eucharist, accompanying us patiently and lovingly in every tabernacle throughout the world. In this way, Christ, the most generous of teachers, hopes to make the Last Judgment a joyful reunion of intimate friends, not a surprise encounter between distant strangers.

One day in the not-too-distant future we’ll hear the words, “OK class, put your notes and books away. It’s time for the final exam.” Will we be ready?

Let us always live in Him and for Him!

Deacon Steve

As we come together on this 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Scriptures invite us to delve into the theme of finding joy in the ordinary moments of our lives. For me, that can be through the lens of family and the joy of raising children; today's readings unfold lessons that resonate deeply with the everyday experiences we share.

In the Gospel passage from Matthew 25:14-30, we encounter the parable of the talents—a story of entrusted gifts and the choices we make with them. Imagine a parent entrusting their child with a small garden to tend. The care, effort, and love the child invests in nurturing the garden mirrors the responsible and joyful stewardship called for in the parable. Just as the master commends the faithful servants, so too does a parent delight in a child who embraces the responsibility of cultivating and sharing the beauty of life. I want my children to embrace the love and joy of creation!

In the second reading from Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6), the metaphor of being children of light resonates with the joys and challenges of raising children. Children, like rays of light, bring warmth, laughter, and unexpected brightness into our lives. As stewards of their growth, we are called to nurture their potential, guiding them through the paths of kindness, understanding, and awareness.

Consider the joy found in a family's shared meal—a simple yet profound example of love, togetherness, and the joy of sustenance. My family makes a point to share a Sunday dinner together every week. In these moments, we witness the echoes of the Gospel's call to invest our talents in ways that nourish and enrich the lives of those around us.

As we reflect on these readings, let us embrace the joy that arises from the ordinary acts of love within our families. How can we, like the faithful servants, invest our talents—our time, patience, and understanding—in nurturing the growth and well-being of our loved ones? In the laughter of our children, the shared responsibilities of family life, and the warmth of connection, let us find the profound joy that springs from living as faithful stewards of the precious gifts entrusted to us.

May this Sunday be a celebration of the joy found in the daily journey of life—a joy that mirrors the love and stewardship God calls us to embody.

God Bless,
PJ Chavez

Dear Parish Family,

We hear in our Psalm for today’s readings that “You are my help and in the shadow of Your wings, I shout for joy.” How grateful we are that the Lord is the cause of our Joy, our Hope, our Salvation, our Life, our Purpose and our Meaning. Our souls are thirsting for the Lord in a continued deepening relationship with Him every day. To have a grateful heart is key to maintaining a joyful heart.

I am most grateful for all of you who in so many ways make this parish a vibrant faith-filled family. Thank you for all that you do to make that happen. One of the ways you make that happen is with the help of your financial support. At least once a year we are requested by the Diocese of Cleveland to publish to you the financial and spiritual statistics of the parish. Enclosed in this bulletin is an insert in that regard. How timely this report is in this month of November because soon we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of you that have been so kind in this last year with your time, talent and treasure. Your generosity is very much appreciated.

Thanks to your generosity, this past summer we were able to afford repaving a new surface to half of the parking lot and crack-fill, seal and repaint the lines of the entire parking lot. We were also able to upgrade to a much-needed brand new sound system for the church. Now we can better hear God’s Holy Word and uplifting music. I’d like to also thank our finance council for all the good work they do in helping us to be good stewards of these funds.

In addition to the financial statistics, the handout includes the Sacramental and Liturgical Statistics. I would like to point out, for the first time in 5 years, we are now over 1500 families. Our numbers are growing, and it is also a good sign that we had more baptisms than funerals this past year.

God bless your day and every day,

Father Dave

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2270) clearly affirms the teaching of the Church that human life begins at conception:

Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person — among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.

This teaching has its roots throughout Scripture. The passage that best brings this point home for me is from St. Luke’s infancy narrative especially the story of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth and to her second cousin (the future John the Baptist):

During those days, Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.”

So, three months prior to his birth, little Johnny had ears to hear, legs and feet to kick and the brain power to discern that Mary’s voice meant that he was in the presence of the Christ.

Tuesday is election day. In discerning your vote on Ohio Issue 1 let the infant St. John affirm for you that life indeed begins at the moment of conception.

May God be your heart, your mind, your soul and your life!

Deacon Steve