Room at the inn - Dec 25, 2010

There is a story about a parish putting on a Christmas pageant. It came to the point where the innkeeper was to say that there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph to stay. The part of the innkeeper was played by a young man challenged by Down Syndrome. He had only one line to memorize and he had practiced it over and over again with his parents. So the big moment came with Mary and Joseph making their way down the main aisle of the church. They approached , made their request and heard the loud response, “There’s no room at the inn.” So Mary and Joseph turned to travel farther. All of a sudden the young boy boomed out, “You can stay at my house.” Thinking quickly the priest said, “Amen” and the congregation said, “Amen” and the homily was finished as everyone broke into singing “Joy to the World”.

This young boy’s response truly is the miracle of Christmas. Like Mary and Joseph we need to make room for Jesus in our world, in our homes, and in our hearts. We need to invite him in so that he can transform our hearts with His peace and justice. I want to thank this parish community for the many ways we respond to God’s invitation to be a people of justice and peace. As we move forward may we continue our trips to Jamaica, our Mobile Loaves and Fishes outreach, our Giving Tree project, our visits to the homebound, our Christmas Cantata, our education of our young, and the many other ways we seek to evangelize. Let us work and pray together in the new year.

Fr. Bob Hawkins

Mary: a model of the Advent Season - Dec 11, 2010

I am happy to announce that Catherine Carbone is our new bookkeeper here at St. Luke’s. She will bring competence and experience to this important position. Cathy has been a parishioner here for many years and will do a great job in her new position.

Today is December 8th, the day the Church reflects on Mary, the one filled with grace. I see her as a model of the Advent Season in her role as a perfect instrument for God’s birth in the world. For us to be like Mary we need to free ourselves from the trappings of sin. What attitudes need to be addressed in our lives so that we can better make Jesus known in our world? God can do the impossible in us if we but get out of His way. Advent is a time for grace and miracles.

Fr. Bob Hawkins

P.S. A special time for Confessions will occur December 23 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Advent: prepare our hearts Dec 5, 2010

As always we approach Advent with all kinds of hopes and expectations. Paul urges us to wake from our sleep and seize the many opportunities we have to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. So often we think of Advent as remembering the coming of Christ many years ago in Bethlehem. But Advent is even a richer season than that when we consider the coming of Christ in the present and also at the end of time. We look into our lives and try to name the many ways Christ comes to us in the people all around us: the elderly person in a nursing home, a little pre-schooler, someone we meet on the Mobile Loaves and Fishes Truck. Advent is a time to make room for Christ, to prepare the way in the world, to celebrate the simple presence, to climb the mountain of the Lord.
Fr. Bob Hawkins