Welcome to St. Therese, A Vatican II Ecclesiology Parish

Transcription

1

2 Welcome to St. Therese, A Vatican II Ecclesiology Parish The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. We must see all activities as linked with God s work. In keeping with the Christmas season, we can reflect on God s presence in even the most secular places. Parents, Children, communities, single persons, young and old should find hope in this presence. The passage from this Sunday from Sirach and Colossians specify the shape of a happy home for their times. Whether it be in care for an aging parent or in the loving interaction of spouses, the ideals have perennial appeal. The particular applications remind us that the ideals need everfresh interpretation in our daily lives. While the cultural picture of nagging fathers and submissive wives reminds us of waning era, we are challenged to see what a happy home can be for us. How will our relationships evolve if we do all in the name of Christ Jesus? The gospels, for each year open up for us a variety of episodes in Jesus early life. His happy home, the Holy Family, is far from idyllic. Joseph must take the child and Mary to Egypt. Interpreting God s will, they are able to escape Harod and then settle in Nazareth (year A). Joseph and Mary marvel at the poetic words of an aged man who awaits the consolation of Israel. Even here, Simeon s words show the swords of pain and division in their home. Mary, the first to hear God s Word must encounter the challenges of his life (year B). Jesus later visit to the temple presages his destiny and the tension this brought (year C). In their family interactions. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did all in the name of God. Within our own history, we must do all in the name of this present One. Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. This feast is part of the Christmas season, and we should place today's Gospel in the context of what Luke's Gospel tells us about the birth of Jesus. Luke has been answering the question Who is Jesus? through his stories of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Today's Gospel reading continues this theme. It has no parallel in the other Gospels and is the conclusion of Luke's Infancy Narrative. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are presented in this Gospel as a faithful Jewish family. They are participating in the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, an event shared each year with family and friends. When Jesus is found, Luke describes him as seated in the Temple in the midst of the Jewish teachers. Although he is young, Jesus seems not to need teaching about his Jewish tradition. In his dialogue with these learned teachers, Jesus astounds them with his insight and understanding. Jesus is a child of Israel. His Father is God. The dialogue between Mary and Jesus contains many references to family relationships. In fact, in this Gospel reading Mary and Joseph are never identified by name. Instead they are referred to by their relationship to Jesus. Ultimately, this emphasizes Luke's point about the identity of Jesus. When Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple, they question Jesus and express their anxiety. Jesus replies in words that many have thought to be disrespectful. Jesus says that he was never lost; he was at home. Jesus is God's Son, and he is in his Father's house. Luke will continue to suggest that faith in Jesus establishes new family relationships as he describes Jesus' public ministry. In Luke's Gospel, Mary's importance is even greater than her role as Jesus' mother. Mary is the first disciple and will be present with Jesus' disciples after his Resurrection at Pentecost. Family Connection Today's Gospel describes a time of anxiety in the life of Jesus' family. We can imagine their panic and worry as they discovered that Jesus was not with the caravan returning to Nazareth. The Holy Family journeyed with family members and friends because traveling alone was dangerous. When they found Jesus at the Temple, Jesus spoke like a typical adolescent, unsympathetic to his parents' concern. Yet his words teach an important lesson about reducing anxiety in our family life. In essence, Jesus says, If you had remembered who I am, you would have known where to find me. In their panic, Mary and Joseph had forgotten what had been told to them before Jesus' birth, that their son was the Son of God. Knowing a person well helps reduce our anxieties for them because we can better predict how they will behave, and we know their capacity to handle the challenges life might present to them. As you gather as a family, have fun playing the game How well do you know me? Take turns trying to stump one another by asking family members questions about yourself, such as What is my favorite memory of a family vacation? Given a choice, what dinner menu would I pick? If I could travel anywhere in the world, where would I go? One member of the family might prepare and read the questions aloud as each person writes down the answers. Family members then take turns guessing the answers, playing this game as a quiz show. Observe that one thing about families is that we learn to know each other well.

3 JANUARY SCHOOL NEWS 1/1-1/6 Christmas Break 1/8 School Resumes 1/13 School Mass 10:00 a.m. 1/21 MLK Day NO School 1/25 SED Day 1:00 PM Dismissal 1/27 1/31 Catholic Schools Week 1/29 Catholic Schools Mass St. Therese Catholic School Open House 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019 This opens registration for the school year. We have a very limited number of openings. Call now to reserve your seat for next year Tours available on request. Returning students may register on January 7th Any remaining seats will open for new students on January 31, RELIGIOUS EDUCATION January 6, 2019: Confirmation faith formation class resumes at 10am at St. Therese Parish Hall. January 20, 2019: No faith formation (Confirmation and all grade levels) classes due to Martin Luther King holiday. February 17, 2019: No faith formation (Confirmation and all grade levels) classes due to President s Day weekend holiday. Albuquerque Catholic Women's Choir Will present a Christmas Concert, honoring the Feast of the Holy Family December 30th at 2:00 pm The Shrine of St. Therese. The Christmas Concert will include a Sing-A-Long with the choir! All are invited! No fee! The Pastor and Parishioners of The Shrine of the Little Flower -St. Therese Catholic Church warmly welcome you to our parish family! We hope that you find us to be a family of faith and love, exemplifying in word and deed the generosity of the Father, the self-giving service of Jesus Christ, and the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, & put your trust in the LORD. 12/23/2018 Forthcoming Sunday Collection $.00 St. Vincent de Paul $.00 School Support $.00 Utilities $.00 Building Fund $.00 Misc $.00 Second Collections: 1st Sunday of the Month, St. Therese School, 2nd Sunday, St. Vincent de Paul, 3rd Sunday, Building Fund, 4th Sunday Utilities, 5th Sunday, Misc. PRAY FOR THE SICK Nasario Gutierrez, Lucas Baca, Florinda Cortez, Raymond Cortez, Carin Gallegos, Taliana Vargas, Mary Lovato, Kristin Chavez, Frances Pino, Jim Meek, Juanita Saiz, Bobby Chavez, Rose Snow, Andres Medina, Kevin Garrity, Amanda Manalo, Erick Garcia, Urijah Baca, Julia Tafoya, Theresa Hernandez, Joseph Saavedra, Kai Garcia and for those in hospitals or their homes and cannot attend church. Confirmation Candidate Retreat Please keep our Confirmation Candidates, Team Leaders & Parents in your thought & prayers. They will be attending a three day retreat at the splendid Immaculate Conception Center in Las Vegas, New Mexico on December 28th, 29th, 30th. Leaders/Parents: Rosa, Camille, Denise, Melissa, Adam, Alex, Lynda, Rosalinda, Samantha, Gabriella, Lourdes, Humberto Confirmation Candidates: Katelyn Johnson, Marlet Luna, Makayla Marquez, Christina Martinez, Megan Olguin, Tomie Rael, Abigail Rodriguez, Desiree Tafoya, Fabiola Vernier, Elena Astorga, Catarina Emby, Bryana Garcia, Bianca Jaramillo, Melia Velasco Dennis Chavez, Oscar Lucas Cruz, Gabriel Gaspar, Manuel Munoz Mendoza, Alexander Toya-Reano, Pablo Vernier, Roman Villanueva, Steven Carrillo, Marcos Gallegos, Lorenzo Romero, Angelo Ronquillo

4

5

6