Note From The Pastor
 
Looking ahead to Christmas
 
Last week I saw a news story about people already decorating for Christmas.  This isn’t much of a surprise.  First, retail outlets have been promoting Christmas earlier and earlier.  With the pandemic dragging on into its ninth month, people are looking for comfort, familiarity and hope.  I understand some people need what they remember of Christmas past.  Yet, Christmas is still two months away. While I’m not a fan of decorating early, we need to look ahead to Christmas.
 
Each year about this time we are working to plan for Christmas.  This year is like no other as we face new challenges because of the pandemic.  Our two biggest challenges are: how do we accommodate all the people who will come (I assume we will still be required to maintain physical distance between families); and how do we provide a meaningful spiritual experience to parishioners who will need to remain home?
 
I mention this to let you know we are already working on this.  I have asked parish staff to consider options.  The parish councils at both parishes are also offering input to different options.  One option to manage Christmas Mass attendance will be to implement something similar to how sporting events are now managing attendees – with tickets for groups of seats.  Another option will be to offer some livestream presentations leading up to Christmas Day.  Other options may come up, but we will need to determine a Christmas plan by early November to be able to both work-out logistics and communicate the process to parishioners.  
 
This planning can be overwhelming for all of us.  You may already be planning, and making adjustments to your typical holiday traditions.  You may be considering whether to travel or whom to invite to celebrations?  We are all asking, who among our loved ones is vulnerable but still needs our care and presence during the holidays?  What should we do?  We are all trying to adjust, and we can approach this looking ahead with faith, and together as a faith community.  
 
As we all look ahead, it is important to invite God into our preparations.  It is as simple as taking time to pray and to focus on hope.  (A little preview… hope is the theme for this coming Advent season.)  By hope we aren’t simply saying a hope for a vaccine or an end to the pandemic.  Hope is a theological virtue.  Hope is focused on God and His plan.  It is good to stop and consider what we believe about God in all that we are experiencing.  Do I trust God is working in this pandemic?  Do I trust God is working in the circumstances of my life?  When faced with loss, can I turn to God with trust?  Can I hear what God is asking of me amidst the challenges, confusion and concern for my family, my friends, my fellow parishioner and myself?  How does God want us to plan – as individuals, as families and as a faith community?  If we first turn to God in hope He will lead us. 
 
God can do great things in the most challenging and darkest times.  That is the core mystery of our faith – the Paschal mystery.  These times are in many ways a test of our faith.  I pray that this will be a time for our faith to flourish and our relationship with the Lord to grow.  

I’m not putting up Christmas decorations prior to December 20.  I’m not even putting up Advent decorations until after Thanksgiving.  What I am doing is entrusting our plans to God and praying He guides us – as individuals, as families, as parishes – as people of faith.  The Advent and Christmas seasons will need some planning this year but, in hope, God will lead us.  We simply need to entrust our plans to Him.
 
"Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God's hands,
and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child..."
- Edith Stein, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dale