Gaudete Sunday. Parish Office Hours Monday through Friday 9 AM to 2:30 PM. Pastor Fr. Nicholas McLoughlin

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1 Parish Office (863) Fax (863) rd Sunday of Advent December 16, 2018 Parish Office Hours Monday through Friday 9 AM to 2:30 PM Gaudete Sunday Pastor Fr. Nicholas McLoughlin Assisting Clergy Fr. Gerald Grogan Pastor Emeritus Fr. Leo Frechette Deacon Dan Hoppe Schedule of Masses Saturday Confession 3:30 PM English 6:30 PM Spanish Vigil Mass 4 PM English 7 PM Spanish Sunday 8 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Days Vigil Mass 5:30 PM 8 & 10:30 AM Daily Mass Monday-Friday 8 AM First Friday Mass and Holy Hour 8 AM Visit us on the web! The crowds asked John the Baptist, What should I do? Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, Teacher, what should we do? He answered them, Stop collecting more than what is prescribed. Soldiers also asked him, And what is it that we should do? He told them, Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people. (Gospel)

2 Page 2 Our Lady of Grace Christmas is only nine days away now. Children and the young at heart can feel the excitement building. Gifts will soon be under the tree. We have been preparing for Christ s coming for two weeks. Retailers and radio stations have been preparing for Christmas for over a month. The nearness of the holy day is palpable and so today Gaudete Sunday we rejoice. We rejoice in God s gift to us, not to be found under a tree, but in a manger and in our hearts. John the Baptist is the great prophet of the Advent season. He was the one chosen by God to serve as the advance man for the coming of Jesus. John the Baptist challenges the crowds in today s Gospel. Eager to follow him, they ask what they should do. John responds with practical guidance: share your food and clothing, act honorably, be honest. We are not told what they do, but we are told they were filled with expectation. As we listen to God s word, filled with expectation with a week and a half until Christmas, let us take John s guidance to heart. John the Baptist s responses to the crowd ( Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise. ) recall Matthew s story of the Last Judgment ( I was hungry and you gave me food naked and you clothed me [Luke 3: 11, Matthew 25:35-36]). Notice that Jesus takes it one step further. Now it is not just a random person, but Jesus specifically, whom we are helping in our plenty. But, it was John who laid the groundwork. It was John who was asked three times, What should we do? It was John who told them, even before Christ began his mission, how to act like a Christian. Speaking of the Last Judgment, John s image of the wheat and the chaff is a sobering one. The wheat will be gathered in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire (Luke 3:17). The wheat is valuable. Once it is ground or milled, it can nourish us. It contains the seed, so that it can be planted and grown. It can be shared by others. The chaff cannot be grown or eaten or shared. Once removed from the grain, it is virtually of no use. John calls us to nourish, to grow, and to share, like the grain that has fed the world for thousands of years. Shout for joy, Cry out with joy, Rejoice in the Lord always (Zephaniah 3:14, Isaiah 12:6, Philippians 4:4). The readings and the psalm response each begin with exultation. No wonder this Sunday is referred to as Gaudete Sunday. The reason for the joy is simple: God is in your midst; among you is the great and Holy One; The Lord is near (Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 12:6, Philippians 4:5). Rejoice always, indeed. Knowing that God is in our midst, how can we answer the question from the Gospel: What should we do?

3 3rd Sunday of Advent Page 3 Remaining Penance Services St. Paul, Arcadia 6 PM Monday, December 17 St. James, Lake Placid 6 PM Wednesday, December 19 St. Catherine, Sebring 6 PM Thursday, December 20

4 Page 4 Our Lady of Grace Christmas Pageant Sunday, December 16th, 7:00 p.m. Grogan Center Get into the true spirit of Christmas With the children Bring a dessert, cookies, candy to share You may be surprised with a visit from a jolly old gentleman.

5 3rd Sunday of Advent Page 5 Wonderful Evening at the Women s Guild Spaghetti Dinner Penny and Doris serving Winner with Fr. Leo & Florence Our happy servers Larry, Bill, Gerry, & John Tony & Polly s guests Another huge crowd Bob & Phyllis guests A grand time had by all

6 Page 6 MASS INTENTIONS SATURDAY DECEMBER 15 4:00 pm + George Moffett by Glenda Moffett.. 7:00 pm + Pasquel Garcia by Lydia Garcia. SUNDAY DECEMBER 16 8:00 am + James Wissenbach by M/M Nelson Tederous + Louise Stiles by Judy Nugent. 10:30 am + Deceased members of the Miranda Family by Mike & Angie Heiring. MONDAY DECEMBER 17 8:00 am + Thomas Pratt by Connie Pratt. TUESDAY DECEMBER 18 8:00 am Special Intention for Mackie Boone by Kissane Family. WED DECEMBER 19 8:00 am + Glenn Hartsfield by Ann Hartsfield. THURSDAY DECEMBER 20 8:00 am + Rita and August Camastro & + James McGann, Sr. by Arlene McGann. FRIDAY DECEMBER 21 8:00 am + Jesusa M. Diaz by Jose & Zoraida Rodriguez.. SATURDAY DECEMBER 22 4:00 pm + Fraydelle Parker by Phyllis Breen. Special Intention for Don & Olivia Sliwicki (39 th wedding anniversary.) 7:00 pm + Anastacio Lopez by Familia Secundino. SUNDAY DECEMBER 23 8:00 am + Richard Kuehner by M/M Raymond Munday. 10:30 am + Dee Angermeier by Ann Alhand. Our Lady of Grace FOR THE SICK OF THE PARISH Claudette Laverriere John Minadeo Jade Jackson Glenna Thompson Gregory Syfert Ruby Kempf Rosa Arosemena Henry Augusta Andres Clavijo Melvin Kloehn Jean Simmons J.R. Lejeune Gerald Martin George Tomek Todd Carlson Bruno Litwinski Payton Haynes Jose Lopez And for those who care for the sick, for the deceased member s and benefactors of the parish, especially and for our loved ones. Bulletin Deadlines for December Due the Holiday schedule bulletins for several Sundays are due earlier than the usual Dates: December 23 RD Bulletin announcements must be submitted by December 6. December 30 th bulletin announcements must be submitted by December 13 th.january 6 th announcements must submitted by December 19 th. "HERE I AM!" HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPIRITUALLY ADOPTED BABY Your spiritually adopted baby was born this month--nine months after her mother conceived her. The only change at birth is a change in the external life support system of the baby. She is no different now than she was before birth, except that she breathes and eats differently. She is truly a miracle. She began as a 46-chromosome cell and has grown over the past nine months into this unique human baby we can now see. Never before in history, nor never again, will anyone exist who is exactly like your spiritually adopted baby. Your prayers saved her life. Thank you on behalf of all the little babies and their parents for your loving prayers that helped to bring them to birth, "so that they might have life and have it to the full."

7 Staff & Ministries Administrative Assistant Betty Heiring Religious Education Judy Nugent Angie Heiring (863) Music Gene Ryan Associate Youth Director Angie Heiring (863) Prayer Group Kevin Murphy Women s Guild Debbie Augusta - President (863) Respect Life Dick & Marie Carlson (863) Parish Council President Judy Pounds Vice President Piedad Sarmiento- Noriega Secretary Judy Nugent Members Debbie Augusta Maureen Cool Darlyne Devany John Paul Heston Jim McGann Karen Hecker Tina Starling Teresa Torres John Wolbert The Savior by Max Lucado "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior."