Fr. Pfeiffer's Weekly Message--Culture of Encounter
November26,2022
Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
People Look East this Blessed Advent!
Happy New Year! - Liturgical New Year that is. One of the beauties of our Catholic Faith is our liturgical calendar that takes us through the seasons of the mysteries of Christ, His Church, and all the saints. There is a wonderful rhythm showing a dynamic permanence as a well as ordered change in our celebration of the Liturgy. We find consolation in the familiarity of the way Mass is celebrated every Sunday, yet at the same time, the changes of season help us navigate our focus amidst all the nooks and crannies of God’s revelation.
I have heard from a number of people that Advent is their favorite season - the expectation, the joyful hope, the comforting warmth of God’s grace during the cold weather. The leaves are gone from the trees, things slow down (Christmas shopping notwithstanding), less sunlight and more darkness. Yet we know things are about to change.
All of this shows forth in how we celebrate Advent. The church of course gives us liturgical direction to mark this change. Most notably, we will not sing the Gloria as we must wait until Christmas to sing the hymn the angels proclaimed when Christ was born. The liturgical color is violet to mark the penitential spirit we should have during this time. Please note the extra cluster parish confessions on Tuesdays from 5-6pm. The music settings at Mass will change as well marking the shift in focus. Here at St Paul, we will sing seasonal Marian hymn, Alma Redemptoris Mater following the Masses. Also, as we have done the past few years, we will celebrate Mass ad orientem, meaning everyone (including the priest) face together “toward the east.” This gesture symbolizes the great expectation of the Coming of Christ at the end of time. Remember Advent is not only looking back to the memorial of Christ’s Nativity in poverty. The Church uses this time of expecting to draw our focus forward to Christ’s Second coming in Glory.
Even our decorations change. The advent wreath of course is present, but since the time is penitential, there are no flowers and minimal decor in the sanctuary and church. Here at the parish, we take a gradual approach. This week we see some minimal wreaths and decorations, but only into the 3rd week of Advent will we see more, including the Nativity scene in our Narthex. You will notice also in the Narthex the three wise men at the north end. Every week they will journey closer to the Nativity scene and arrive on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany.
There is great dynamism in the Advent and Christmas seasons even as the core does not change. The core, the heart, is God’s love for us revealed in Jesus Christ. Take spiritual advantage of this special time: prepare well, grow in hope, and rejoice in the coming of our Savior.