From the Pastor's Pen: Good News - Jesus is Returning!

GOOD NEWS: Jesus is Returning!! We say this in each Creed, but every Advent we especially renew our hope in this. The first two weeks of Advent, the readings and prayers stir our hopes, not for an annual feast, but for the great return of Christ at the end of time—the Parousia, the Second Coming. Early on, the Church saw the opportunity to use this season to stir up this hope, which we recite every week: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” We have a vision of a grand time to come, the end of time, when the world will be ready for God’s promises to be fulfilled. It’s not that all here and now will be erased, and a whole new structure imposed. “The building of a new world has already begun, and the elements of the present world are contributing to it . . .We may not wait passively for it to come about, but must work actively and intelligently to bring it to pass.” (Nocent, O.S.B) So St. Luke says today, “Be on the watch! Pray for the strength to stand secure before the Son of Man.” Our Advent Confessions next Sunday can be part of our active waiting.

People are still talking about the wonderful enactment we had the week before last, of the coming of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne herself to Florissant, and, symbolically, to our parish. On a great sailing ship (thanks Paul Pilla), four young ladies arrived at the church in the Sacred Heart habit: Megan Pilla, representing the young Sr. Rose Philippine; Sarah, her sister; Grace Beane, and Molly Grun; all helped by their faithful manservant Michael Pilla. It was touching to talk to the young sister who would later be canonized about our pride in her name, and to present her with a key to the church. Their prayer in the front pew gave the Mass a special aura. They reprised their roles at the school Grandparent's Mass Nov. 21, where Sacred Heart foundress Sophie Barat (Sarah) was interviewed. We are all proud of them for their central role in this important parish moment.