Start of Advent

My Dear Parishioners,

All of you were in my prayers on Thanksgiving, and I do hope that you and your families had a very nice holiday. I have to ask; did you remember to tum on the oven? Also, I have to ask, are you still enjoying the leftovers? The leftovers are the best pa1t of Thanksgiving dinner, so I hope so.

Amazingly, we are going right into Advent this weekend. Advent begins our new liturgical year and always coincides with the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. The Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew of November 30 is the First Sunday of Advent. This year, the First Sunday of Advent falls on his Feast Day. St. Andrew is believed to be the ve1y first Apostle to get to know Jesus, and the one who introduced his brother, St. Peter, to Jesus. In a way, St. Andrew is then the first of the Apostles. So, it is fitting that our Liturgical Year sta1ts with the Feast of the first Apostle. Advent is important preparation for both Christmas and the rest of our Liturgical Year. Advent means “corning.”

It is a period of anticipation. We are anticipating the New Year, Christmas, and the Second Coming.

Advent begins with a focus on Jesus’s Second Corning at the end of time. This reminds us that we should live lives in joyful anticipation of when we will see our beautiful Savior face to face.

The Blessed Apostle St. Paul teaches us how to prepare ourselves for Judgement: And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than, when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness {and] put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. (Our Second Reading from Romans Chapter 13: 11–14).

The Blessed Apostle St. Peter further adds: through these, He (Jesus) has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted, forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more eager to make your call and electionfirm, for, in doing so, you will never stumble. For, in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you (2Peter 1: 4-11).

As we get closer to Christmas, Advent changes focus and prepares us to remember and celebrate Jesus’s First Coming: His first corning on March 25 when the Angel of the Lord, declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and on that ve1y first Christmas morning when she gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS, focus.org) give us a nice way of obse1ving the Sundays of Advent:

• Four Weeks of Preparation: Use each week of Advent as a moment of renewal and an ideal time to begin anew rhythm of prayer and reflection:
  1. Week 1 (Nov 30-Dec 6): Hope – the corning of
  2. Week 2 (Dec 7-Dec 13): Preparation- “Make straight the way of the “
  3. Week 3 (Dec 14-Dec 20): Joy- Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday
  4. Week 4 (Dec 21-Dec 24): Love – the final waiting before And they offer some simple ways to live Advent well:
• Have an Advent Wreath in the home, and light it and pray each
• Spend 10 minutes in daily prayer with Scripture or a reflection on
• Go to Confession and receive the Eucharist
• Commit to one act of charity each week, such as suppo1ting a Giving Tree, a food drive, a diaper drive, and your parish church.
• Invite a friend to join you in prayer, Mass, or se1

In order to help us enter more deeply into this time of watching, I am including an Advent Examination of Conscience. Confessions are each Saturday, 8:30 -9:00 and 3:00 to 3:45.

As we begin our second Advent together, some updates on some projects around here. Our digital sign is on its way and should be installed before Christmas. The roof replacement on the recto1y will also happen before Christmas and some badly needed plumbing work in the recto1y is under way. Also, the insulation project for the church and the “wings” should be done before Christmas. We continue to explore new windows for the wings and also looking into fixing up more rooms. Plans for the new rear entrance to our beautiful church are also being fu1ther refined. We hope to make them public soon.

I know that our elves are busily planning for the decorating of the church and our Christmas liturgies and for our celebration of Christmas, and we thank them for all they are doing and will be doing.

Next weekend is our annual parish Bazaar and Pancake Breakfast and our monthly food drive supporting Warminster Food Bank. Friday, December 12 is our second annual Christmas Concert. Please plan on attending.

We have such a beautiful parish, and we are so blessed. May you have a very blessed beginning of Advent. St. Joseph, Patron of the Church, and our Patron, pray for us!

Fr. Michael J Pawelko, Pastor

An Advent Examination of Conscience

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. I will delight and rejoice in you. (Ps 9:2-3)

• Am I loving and serving God with my heart, mind, and strength? Or have I become the slave of something else? What is that other thing? How can I change this situation?
• Have I given priority to God on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation by attending Mass? Do I place a priority on forming a stronger relationship with Christ and His Church?
• When at Mass, have I actively participated in true worship of God? Do I pray, sing and pay attention?
• Do I appreciate the great gift of Jesus Christ really and truly present in the Holy Eucharist? Do I appreciate and make frequent use of the many other Heavenly Treasures and Heavenly Helps of my Catholic faith? Do I prepare to receive Holy Communion worthily by living in virtue and confessing my sins?
• Do I give Jesus Christ a say in the way I spend my time, money, and other resources? Am I using these gifts to build His kingdom? Have I supported my local parish and its ministries and work?
• Do I show respect for God’s holy name and for all that is holy. Do I curse or swear? Have I spoken badly about God’s holy Church, its beliefs and priests?

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. (Rom 12:12)

• Have I been faithful to prayer, meditation and Scripture reading, opening myself to God’s love and direction every day?
• Do I seek to grow in knowledge of Christian faith through study and prayerful meditation? Have I sought to form my conscience according to the teachings of the Gospel and the Church?
• Do I pray regularly for others, our beloved dead, the needs of the church and the world?
• Have I allowed myself to slide into sinful habits out of boredom, inattention, laziness, or frustration? Have I allowed myself to become addicted to social media? Am I praying and working to break the power of these habits?
• What trials and difficulties are causing me the most pain right now? Am I keeping faith and trusting in God and his promises?

To practice justice is a joy for the just. (Prov 21:15)

• How am I working for the coming of Christ’s kingdom of justice and peace?
• Is God calling me to take a stand against some pa1ticular injustice? Have I sought His guidance about how to respond to the many challenges and issues of our modem society?
• Am I helping to build a world where human life is valued and respected through all stages of life? Have I defended the rights of the unborn, the old and the disabled in my speech, my actions, or my pa1ticipation in the democratic process?
• Have I stolen anything or cheated on my income taxes? Do I need to make restitution for such acts?
• How have I helped care for the poor, less fortunate, sick, and suffering? Have I readily shared with those in need from the many blessings that God has given me?

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart. (Phil 2:2)

• How am I doing in my relationships with the people God is calling me to love and se1ve; family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, fellow parishioners? Am I treating them with respect and compassion?
• Have I encouraged, either actively or through my silence, another to sin? Have I shown real love by helping those whom I know are in sinful relationships or addicted to sinful habits?
• Are there ways in which my words, attitudes, or actions have caused disunity in my relationships? Have I gossiped and hurt the good name and reputations of others? Why do I do this? What restitution have I made in such circumstances?
• Have I always spoken the truth? Have I kept secrets and promises? Have I done anything to justly damage the reputation of another?
• Am I harboring any anger, resentment, hatred or prejudice against someone? Is there anyone I need to forgive? Is there anyone whose forgiveness I need to ask?
• If I am married, how am I working at loving and suppo1ting my spouse and building my marriage? As a parent, do I give good example and direction to my children in Christian living?

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you… ? Therefore, glorify God in your body. (]Cor 6:19-20)

• Do I treat my body with respect, or have I abused it through the willful misuse of drugs, alcohol, or food?
• Do I work too much that I neglect my family, my health and my responsibilities to the community?
• Am I following Christ’s teachings on sexual morality? Do I indulge in lustful thoughts and sexual fantasies? Have I committed sins of impurity? Have I looked at pictures, the internet, movies or magazines that lack respect for the human body and the gift of human sexuality?
• Have I opened myself to unhealthy media and societal influences that influence tl1e way I think, the words I use, or the choices I make?

Holy Spirit, help me to examine my heart. Lead me to yourself and to the joy that no one can take away!