As we conclude Catholic Schools Week, the annual St. Peter School Alumni and Friends Reunion will be on Saturday, February 3, 2024. The celebration will begin with all alumni and friends of St. Peter School attending the 5:00 P.M. Vigil Mass, where the Distinguished Graduate will be introduced.

Catholic archdioceses and dioceses throughout the United States, are celebrating Catholic Schools Week. The theme this year is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic schools have an important role in the Church’s evangelizing mission, building on the central goal of Catholic schools to form saints. Catholic schools teach and embrace the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. We have been very fortunate that our own St. Peter School has been providing quality Catholic education to the students of the River Parish area for over 94 years.

Today, we celebrate Sunday of the Word of God. Several years ago, Pope Francis designated the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as Word of God Sunday. The annual observance is aimed at helping all of us grow in a deeper appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. When we gather for Mass, God speaks His word to us through the Sacred Scriptures. Let us pray that our ears may be opened to hearing God’s Word proclaimed in Sacred Scripture.

Last Sunday, on the Feast of the Epiphany, we heard the familiar story of the Magi, who, directed by the star of Bethlehem, find the baby Jesus. Today, as we begin Ordinary Time, we hear the first disciples, who, directed by John the Baptist, encounter the adult Jesus. That initial encounter changes the entire course of their lives, for, as Andrew insists to his brother Simon, “We have found the Messiah.” May our encounter with the Lord influence the way we live our lives.

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. The Christmas season will conclude with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday, January 8th. We know very little about the Magi. They come from the East and journey to Bethlehem, following an astrological sign, so we believe that they are astrologers. As the Magi journeyed from a distant country to find the Christ, so we are also called to make our own journey to the Lord. We are called to receive Jesus, the Light of the World, so that we in turn can share His Light with others. As we heard in the first reading: Then you shall be radiant…your heart shall throb and overflow. Jesus has come to give us all the love we need, all the wisdom called for, and all the virtue necessary to be a light to others.

On this last Sunday of the year and the last day of the year, we are still celebrating the Christmas season. Today, we can celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. This celebration is assigned to the Sunday within the octave of Christmas. When Jesus was born into the world, He was born into a family—a model for us all to imitate. As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, here are a few questions for our personal reflection. Do we love and respect our children as Joseph and Mary did their Son? Do we love and honor our parents as Jesus did His own? Do we nurture the bonds in our family as the Holy Family did? On this last day of 2023 let us pray to the Holy Family for guidance and support in the year ahead.

We have a very short Fourth Week of Advent this year—only twenty-four (24) hours. This Sunday we read the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus. This story is found only in Luke’s Gospel. On this fourth Sunday of Advent, the liturgy shifts our attention from John the Baptist to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both John and Mary serve as important figures for our reflection during the season of Advent; they both played instrumental roles in preparing the way for Jesus. Last week we reflected on John the Baptist’s announcement that the Savior was among us, although not yet recognized.

This Sunday’s Gospel invites us to continue our reflection on the person and mission of John the Baptist. Today we depart from the Gospel of Mark and read a selection from the Gospel of John. The Gospel for today combines a brief passage from the prologue to John’s Gospel with a report about John the Baptist. As in Mark’s Gospel, the Gospel of John contains no birth narrative. Instead, John’s Gospel begins with a theological reflection that has come to be called the “prologue.” This prologue places the story of Jesus in its cosmological framework. It speaks of Jesus’ existence with God since the beginning of time. In John’s Gospel, Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of the Old Testament and the culmination of the Word, the light that is coming into the world’s darkness.

The Giving Tree will be in church this weekend. Wrapped gifts with ornament tags must be returned to the rectory no later than December 13th .

Today’s Gospel is taken from the beginning of Mark. Unlike Luke and Matthew, Mark does not include any details of Jesus’ birth. Instead, Mark begins with the appearance of John the Baptist in the desert. On this Second Sunday of Advent, we are invited to reflect upon the role of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus and the salvation that He would bring to us. John the Baptist is presented to us as a model during Advent. We, too, are called upon to prepare a way for the Lord. Like John the Baptist, we are messengers in service to one who is greater than we are. Our Baptism commissions us to call other to life as disciples of Jesus.

Mass Schedule: Thursday, December 7 -  Vigil Mass 5:00 P.M. Friday, December 8 - 6:30 A.M.,10:00 A.M. & 6:00 P.M.

Today we begin the season of Advent, which marks the start of a new liturgical year for the Church. The readings for Sunday Mass are arranged on a three-year cycle. Each year features a different Gospel— Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Readings from the Gospel of John are interspersed throughout all three years. With this year’s first Sunday of Advent, we begin Cycle B of the Lectionary, which focuses our attention on the Gospel of Mark. This week and next week, our readings from Mark’s Gospel present two important Advent themes: the Lord’s return at the end of time and John the Baptist’s preparation for Jesus. Today’s Gospel reminds us that Advent is about more than our preparation for the Church’s celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas. Advent is also about preparing ourselves for Christ’s return in glory at the end of time. Like the disciples and the faithful in Mark’s community, we must also stay alert and watchful. Our faithfulness to God, through the good times as well as the difficult times, shows us to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man.

Today the Church ends the liturgical year with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. We are given the chance of a lifetime—a preview of what we will face at the end of time, straight from the lips of the One who will come in glory on that day. This is Christ the King who rules over God’s creation.

The Giving Tree will be in church the weekend of November 25th & 26th . Wrapped gifts with ornament tags must be returned to the rectory no later than December 13th .

Jesus tells the parable of the talents, in which he teaches about the importance of using the gifts that God has given to us in service to the Kingdom of Heaven. This Gospel reminds us that Christian spirituality is not passive or inactive. Our life of prayer helps us to discern the gifts that have been given to us by God. This prayer and discernment ought to lead us to use our gifts in the service of God and our neighbor. God’s grace allows us to share in the work of serving the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Gospel parable of the wise and foolish virgins remind us to keep vigil for Jesus. It is easy to get distracted by the details of work, family life, and other responsibilities so that we forget the real purpose and mission of our lives. As we begin this week, take some time to reflect on how we can live out our vocation in life—readying ourselves for the LORD’S coming.  

We welcome the Most Reverend Alfred C. Hughes, Archbishop Emeritus, to St. Peter Parish. He will confirm twenty-four (24) students and adults from St. Peter and St. Hubert Parishes on Monday, November 6th at 7:00 P.M. I invite all parishioners to attend the Confirmation Liturgy on Monday night.