Wednesday December 9th, 2009

Religious Education classes are cancelled at St Olaf Parish tonight due to weather conditions

A Christmas Crib Blessing

This blessing was in the latest La Crosse Roads and I checked to see if I could share it on this blog and I can so here it is.  I hope you find you are able to incorporate it into your Advent traditions.

Come, Lord Jesus, bless this crib and all that reminds us of Your being born for us in this holy season of Advent and Christmas.  Make our hearts like the crib, open and ready for Your presence among us.  For Your coming, on Christmas day, prepare our hearts, O Lord.  For Your coming to us in the scriptures, prepare our hearts, O Lord.  For Your coming in the Eucharist, prepare our hearts, O Lord.  For Your coming into our lives through the love of one another in our family, prepare our hearts, O Lord.  For Your coming at the end of time, prepare our hearts, O Lord.  May we be, like the angels, messengers of Your Good News to each other and to those outside our home.  Amen

This week's events

Tuesday December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Masses at St. Olaf are at 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM.  Remember this is a Holy Day of Obigation.  Wednesday  December 9 religious education classe are scheduled for grades 1-6 beginning at 6:15 until 7:30 and for grade 7 beginning at 6:00 until 7:30.  High School Youth Ministry will meet beginning at 7:00 and end at 8:30.  Friday December 11 is the 10th Anniversary of Deacon Bob's ordination, congratulations to Deacon Bob for 10 years at our parish! PCCW Annual Cookie Walk will be held December 12 & 13.  Remember to bake some cookies to bring to the cookie walk for them to sell and stop by after Mass and purchase some cookies for you family.

2nd Sunday of Advent

How are you a home where God dwells?  What is the spirit of John the Baptist’s preaching? What truth does he speak for us this Advent?  What do the prophets of Advent tell us about God?

Holy Hour

Tonight at St. Olaf beginning at 6:00 PM and ending at 7:00 PM will be Holy Hour.  Come and join us for prayer, adoration, meditation, song etc. as we continue this Year for the Priest.  Do you have a special intention you are in need of prayer time for?  You may use this time for that along with praying for vocations, the priests of our diocese and the world.

Tonight at St. Olaf

There is religious education classes this evening for Grades 1-6 beginning at 6:15 until 7:30 and Grade 8 beginning at 6:00 until 7:30.  The St. Nicholas Celebration will begin at 6:15 in the Gathering Space, those aged 3 through those in 1st grade along with their parents are welcom to attend, approximate end time is 7:30.  High School Youth Ministry will be traveling to St. Patrick Church to hear Jim Beckman, a nationally known speaker, at 8:00 PM ending at 9:00.  All high school youth are invited to attend.

Charity, December's Virtue

What is the virtue of Charity?  “Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving His own ‘to the end,’ He makes manifest the Father’s love which He receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: ‘As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you; abide in My love.’ And again: ‘This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (CCC 1822, 1823)  The supernatural virtue of charity makes up what is lacking in our human ability to love and strengthens us to love as God loves, in reality allowing Him to love in and through us.   In receiving God’s love and our responding to His love, we reach the heights of prayer, that is, our union in relationship with Him.  Charity binds everything in the Christian life together in perfect harmony and assures the unity of the Church. (Colossians 3:15)  Why do we need the Virtue of Charity?  The supernatural gift of charity makes it possible for us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mt 22:37).   Charity allows us to love our friends as well as “enemies”; to pray for those who persecute us...hating the sin but loving the sinner.   Blessed Mother Teresa is a great example of the virture Charity.  She took care of the poorest of the poor. She said, “Show love to others as you would show your love directly to Jesus Christ.”  She knew that we all thirst for the love of others. “It is being unwanted that is the worst disease that any human being can ever experience.”  In her Home for Dying Destitutes, she provided gentle care and cleanliness in an atmosphere of dignity and love.  Her greatest impact on society was to bring an awareness that love is worth nothing unless it is given for free.  Ideas for Discussion: Identify positive role models who exemplify the virtue of charity through a life of prayer and action.  What TV program do you watch where the virtue of charity is practiced? Discuss how specific programs present obstacles to selfless love and living out charity.  Discuss what it means to be charitable. How would someone know you practice the virtue of charity?