The last weekend of the
year is for the family. We save this
weekend for the Family of the Lord, that is, the Living God who entrusted
himself to a mother and a foster father and counted on them to care for Him and
teach Him. All that the Lord allowed
Himself to need, he trusted His family to provide.
We too rejoice in these
days in our families. Those on whom we
depended for everything, and who depend for everything upon us, are at the
center of our schedules in these days after Christmas and before the new year
commences to grind away. This is what I
think of when I think of “quality time.”
I want to ask you to join
me in thanking our family member here in the parish for all they did that you
may or may not have noticed to bring so much beauty to our family
Christmas. Our church decorating team,
who gives of their limited Christmas Eve hours, and the Holy Name men who assembled
the outdoor crèche, and to the “arrangers” who arranged for things to be
beautiful in the rectory as well as the church.
The choirs, musicians, and
their director; the leaders of the Children’s Liturgy; the ushers; and all the Extraordinary
Ministers who helped distribute Holy Communion, especially at the vast Vigil
Mass Christmas Eve. I am particularly grateful to my altar
servers, who are awesome in their skill and service, and who make our Masses so
good without drawing attention to themselves.
That is a gift! All of this is true service.
Our sacristy team – first,
second, and third string, all of them mobilized – and staff worked like fiends,
or at least elves, to handle all the logistics.
Picture what you would have to
do if nine hundred people were coming to your
house for dinner! Then do it four more
times.
I also want to ask you to I
would like to ask you to join me in thanking two priests who have helped me in
these last weeks when I was guarding the fort alone: Msgr. Thomas Olszyk, of the Archdiocese for
the Military Services, who helped with several 6:30 Masses (6:30 in the morning!), before he headed back to
Wisconsin to visit his family; and
Father William Gurnee, who helped with weekend and weekday and Christmas Masses,
and kept me company over Christmas Eve night to boot. He’s my hero!
Also, while we are
meditation on family this weekend, I get to thank my family for coming to visit me. Normally I dodge off after Christmas to
inflict myself on my parents and at least one of my sisters, but not this
year. Can’t. Only one here. So, Mom and Dad decided to check and see if I
was faking my excuse, or truly was holding down Fortress Saint Bernadette
solo. As usual, they’ll be lurking inconspicuously,
so good luck finding them, but join me in thanking them for working to keep up my
morale!
I also want to thank you
for all the care and patience you have shown me personally over the last few
weeks. The gifts and goodies, the cards --
especially the ones with pictures, and double-especially the ones with newsletters
(I really read and enjoy them all!) -- and for the invitations and
encouraging words. I appreciate the sympathy
for being on my own this year, and am grateful I have the opportunity to be
your priest.
There is no better way to
nurture your own family ties, to thank and earn the gratitude of those who give
you most and count on you most, than to come together to the Holy Mass. In this great Family Feast, we receive the
very life of our souls and our selves, and to receive Him together unites us in
flesh and faith. The frequent family
dinner table is second only to this feast in building up what makes family,
family; that includes gratitude.
And so as you offer your thank-yous
to everyone who gave to you in recent weeks, join me in giving thanks to
everyone who made it possible and beautiful and delightful to do what we the Church
do that no other family can do, that is, in the Holy Eucharist on the feast of
Christ Himself, give thanks to God.
Monsignor Smith
