From Our Pastor: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we have a surprise visitor, St. John the Baptist. Again, the most noted figure in the liturgical year outside of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. We hear from St. John the Baptist again today about who Jesus is in the words we echo at every mass. Jesus comes not only as God and man, but as the song “We three kings,” as sacrifice. John the Baptist points us to the Christ and what He will do for the world. To come to baptize us with the Spirit and save us from our sin and death. Interestingly enough, we hear this account of John the Baptist from St. John’s gospel. We are in year A of the Sunday readings. It is a three-year cycle, and, in each year, a different gospel is the focus for that year. Year A focuses on the gospel of Matthew, Year B Mark, and year C Luke. Since St. John the Evangelist doesn’t get its own cycle, the Church peppers John in at key points of the year. This message of St. John the Gospel writer, the evangelist, is pointing us to the beginning of the ministry of Jesus as He is announced to the world. Open your hearts when you hear these words at Mass to the God who loves you so much that He came to be with you, die for you, and conquer death for you.

Welcome to Bishop Thomas John Paprocki this weekend. He is here for a parish visit. During this visit he will confirm our third graders, celebrate the 4:30 evening mass, and meet with the leaders on the various councils that I use for insight and feedback on the running of the parish and school. I am so very grateful to these people who serve on parish council, finance council, and school board as they give me immense feedback and assistance. If you ever need to be heard, the members of each of these councils are my eyes and ears. Also, please always know you may be asked for service on one of these councils and when you do, please say yes!

Fr. Rafal and I want to thank everyone for their wonderful cards and gifts for Christmas. Your notes in them were very heartfelt and meant a great deal to me more than you could know. Unlike the Franciscans of the past, diocesan can accept cash, which people always are curious with what we do with it. Fr. Rafal and I use it to be able to help pay for vacation, most especially for his long visit home, and my family trip in the summer. The many goodies and snacks people brought were quite delicious and abundant. Again, what moved me were the immensely kind words you all wrote, it really does make us feel even more at home and truly loved here. So, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

Lastly, I was asked if I could explain the ads on the back of the bulletin. I can’t thank you all enough if you have a business that advertises on the back, as I think as of work recently the entire back cover is full. These advertisements allow us to print the bulletins of the parish at no cost to us, because of the ads paid for on the back. Please support these businesses and thank them for the great gift it is to our parish! I hope as we enter back into ordinary time you have a blessed time of re-orienting ourselves to the Lord.

-Rev. Steven Arisman