Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Perhaps one of my favorite prayers in the Mass is the one which follows the Our Father. Technically, it’s called the “embolism” – an insertion added to the Lord’s Prayer. Here is the text the celebrant recites:
“Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
This prayer has a definite Advent ring to it: “as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” However, I have to admit that I prefer the older translation that said: “Protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
We live in a world full of anxiety and even fear, though most of us live peacefully and productively. Nonetheless, many people in other parts of the world struggle to survive against a background of war and violence. We pray for them every week: people in Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti and Sudan.
This coming Tuesday, December 17th, we will have the opportunity to come together in prayer and song, and join our hearts in union with those who are suffering, as well as those who simply need our prayerful support. “Advent Hope for a Weary World” will be our way of waiting in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior at Christmas. The service begins at 7:00 PM in the church, and everyone is invited.
The year 2025 has been designated by Pope Francis as a Jubilee Year of Hope, with the motto “Hope does not disappoint,” taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (5:5). We will mark the start of the year by coming together in a spirit of hope that God will guide us, our nation, and the world into the future.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
