For me, this weekend brings amazing excitement and joy because we are on the cusp of Advent’s movement into Christmas. Not everyone embraces this time like I do. Some get even more excited with childlike squeals and restless nights of anticipated gifts to come. Others enter this week with comedic fear and frustrating regrets, because for them this week brings “forced family fun” and negative memes about this sacred time of year. Then there are still others we see with urged-on-smiles when we look in their eyes or when we look in the mirror, because they think, because they have suffered one too many losses they won’t be able to easily find Emmanuel. But this week means so much more than trying to get through perfect photos (actually print them out this year) or figuring out which Christmas Mass to go to or how to get out of the parking lot. This coming week brings with it every hope we could ever imagine come true. No matter what we ask for this Christmas, we are promised Emmanuel will give us what we truly need. No matter how it feels or how little some may be able to feel anything this year, we celebrate that the long awaited Messiah has already come and will always conquer every pain of death or fragile heart. I pray you make room in your mangers at home and in your very self, for the perfect Christmas gift that is waiting for you to open is already here…His Eternal Love. May this most holy week bring you the hope of His swaddled coming in a manger, the courage of His out-stretched hands on the Cross, and the joy of His empty tomb. Maranatha, Fr. Bline
(Please pray for our four new Parish Pastoral Council Members: Kristen Teeters, Michael Ott, Linda Hetson and Arthur Klatt)
