Saint Patrick Catholic Church
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Sacraments >
      • Eucharist
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Vocations
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Staff
    • History
    • Registration
    • Stewardship >
      • Why give?
    • Parish Boundaries
    • Cemetery
  • Calendar
    • Parish Calendar
    • Liturgical Roles
    • Religious Education
    • Liturgical Calendar
    • Holy Days of Obligation
  • Ministries
    • Pregnant? Need Help?
    • Religious Education >
      • First Communion Pictures 2020
      • RE Handbook
      • Religious Education Volunteers
      • Confirmation 2015
      • Confirmation 2016
      • Confirmation 2018
      • Confirmation 2019
      • For Parents
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Respect Life >
      • Why We March
      • Elizabeth Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Communications
    • RCIA
    • Parish Outreach
    • Music and Liturgy >
      • Choir >
        • 3 J's and the Flock
      • Altar Servers
    • Health Apostolate >
      • Homebound Ministry
    • Knights of Columbus
  • News
    • Diocesan Appeal
    • Bulletin
    • Flocknotes
    • Daily Readings
    • Links
    • Diocese of Rockford
  • Prayer
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    • Offer a Mass

December 2, 2015

12/6/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Dear friends,  
We are already lighting the second candle of our Advent wreath. 
In today’s Gospel of Luke, we come across names such as Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate and Herod; places such as Judea, Galilee and Ituraea.  What point is the evangelist trying to make by naming people and places in the Gospel?  Mark wants to tells us that the mystery which we are about to celebrate in Christmas is not a myth or a fable.  The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world is history.  It is the history of salvation.  It is God’s plan to save humanity from the bondage of sin.  
Speaking of history, I watched the movie “The Story of the Nativity, the Truth of Christmas,” and I learned that in the Book of Numbers there is prophesy told by Balaam, a wise man from the east.  The prophesy reads, “I see him though not now; I behold him, though not near; a star shall advance from Jacob and a staff shall rise from Israel” (Numbers 24:17). The Prophesy continues by stating that after that king is born he will dispossess Moab and Edom.
The wise men from the east who will come into the scene at the end of Christmas most probably knew about Balaam’s prophesy.  Following the star, they went to Jerusalem, the capital city, to search for the newborn King.  When Herod heard that the wise men from the east were asking for the newborn King, he became very distressed.  He had reason to be distressed, because he was not a Jew.  In fact, he was from the town of Edom.  This new King, therefore, will dispossess him from his throne.  Herod’s immediate reaction was to kill the newborn King in order to protect his kingdom.      
As we continue our spiritual journey to Christmas, let us make it relevant by learning something new about Jesus.  I invite you to go to www.formed.org (you have free access as a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish) and watch “The Story of the Nativity, the Truth of Christmas.”  You will be surprised as to what you can learn from the experts.
I wish you a blessed and joyful Advent Season.
                                         Fr. Lopez

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Rev. Johnson Lopez

    Father Lopez is Pastor of Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Rochelle, IL.

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Annunciation
    Christmas
    Epiphany
    Holy Spirit
    Mary

    Picture

    Archives

    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    RSS Feed

    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Sacraments >
      • Eucharist
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Vocations
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Staff
    • History
    • Registration
    • Stewardship >
      • Why give?
    • Parish Boundaries
    • Cemetery
  • Calendar
    • Parish Calendar
    • Liturgical Roles
    • Religious Education
    • Liturgical Calendar
    • Holy Days of Obligation
  • Ministries
    • Pregnant? Need Help?
    • Religious Education >
      • First Communion Pictures 2020
      • RE Handbook
      • Religious Education Volunteers
      • Confirmation 2015
      • Confirmation 2016
      • Confirmation 2018
      • Confirmation 2019
      • For Parents
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Respect Life >
      • Why We March
      • Elizabeth Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Communications
    • RCIA
    • Parish Outreach
    • Music and Liturgy >
      • Choir >
        • 3 J's and the Flock
      • Altar Servers
    • Health Apostolate >
      • Homebound Ministry
    • Knights of Columbus
  • News
    • Diocesan Appeal
    • Bulletin
    • Flocknotes
    • Daily Readings
    • Links
    • Diocese of Rockford
  • Prayer
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    • Offer a Mass