THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

It’s a Wonderful Life:  George Bailey stands on the bridge over the river talking with Clarence, his guardian angel.  George had wanted to end it all because he was a failure—no money in the bank, no college diploma on the wall, no photos of world travels in an album.  And Clarence gives him a quick tour of his life—all the good he has done, the people he has touched, the friends he has made.  Clarence sums it up in the words of Mark Twain, “No man is a failure who has friends.”

This week we have another one of those “Let’s get ready for Jesus” Advent gospels.  As Clare and I watched It’s a Wonderful Life, I couldn’t help but fast forward from the beginning to the end of Jesus’ life and think about the conversation he might have had with his guardian angel.  About to be arrested on trumped up charges, on the verge of a trial before a venal judge, abandoned by friends, soon to be beat up and crucified, what else could he have thought, but failure and let’s end now!

I asked the Middlers what Jesus’ guardian angel might have said to him about life without Jesus—no miracles, no cures, no feeding the hungry, no standing with the poor, no forgiving the sinner, no railing against unjust authority and no one to tell us with a passion that we must love one another as he has loved us. 

Just as there was a George Bailey, there is a Jesus.  And just as George’s friends wouldn’t let him fail, so must we be friends of Jesus and not let him fail.  After all, he has given us a wonderful life.

Christmas Pageant News

Our Annual Christmas Pageant will be celebrated at 3:30 PM--immediately before the 4 PM Christmas Eve Mass--on December 24^th.

·         FIRST AND SECOND GRADERS are our Pageant Kids.          No sign up; just show up for rehearsals.

·         Boys are Shepherds; costume is an Arab-like headpiece (white cloth and dark headband), SUPPLIED BY PARENTS

·         Girls are Angels; costume is a garland halo, which the church will provide on Christmas Eve; each girl carries a battery operated candle, SUPPLIED BY PARENTS.  Nothing more, except that each girl will wear her special Christmas dress.

·         Mary and Joseph:  we will draw the names of two SECOND GRADERS. Calls will be made to see if the kids are willing and able (sometimes, they can’t or just don’t want to).   Will keep calling until we get Mary and Joseph.  Costumes:  the church has the costumes for Mary and Joseph.

·         Costumes do NOT come to rehearsals; come with your costume on CHRISTMAS EVE only.

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22^nd

10-11:30 AM

 

Christmas Children’s Choir

For the Christmas Pageant Mass, we form a children’s choir of kids in Grades 3 to 8.

Children’s Christmas Choir

Rehearsal Schedule

Tuesday, 12/18:      4-5 PM

Thursday, 12/20:  4-5 PM

Saturday, 12/22:     10-11:30 AM

Love,

Deacon Charlie