Why We Do That - Advent edition

11-27-2022Why do we do that?

Why do we have Advent wreathes at our dinner tables and at our church?

The Advent wreath has a rather mysterious origin. The tradition has taken many different forms over the years. The ring of lights originates in northern Europe, and likely began with the simple need to light the family dinner table during the long nights of winter. In Scandinavia, they had the tradition of arranging candles in a wheel, representing the changing of seasons from one year to the next. Separately, the tradition of wreath-making goes back to pre-Christian Greece and Rome, where circles of leaves and flowers were used to crown the victors in competitions and brides on their wedding day.

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First Sunday of Advent

11-27-2022Gospel Reflection

On this first Sunday of Advent Jesus urges his disciples to stay awake and prepare themselves for the Lord’s coming. Good stewards prepare themselves and await Christ’s judgment in joyous expectation. This attitude requires genuine spiritual maturity, of course; the kind that is cultivated by prayer, participation in the sacraments, loving attention to family and one’s communion of faith, and love for one’s neighbor.

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A Reflection from Deacon Tom Klein

11-20-2022From Deacon Tom KleinDeacon Tom Klein

Many of you may be remember the old hymn (written in 1851), “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” Apparently, here at St. Francis Xavier, we took this quite literally, because we have at least 45 crowns of Christ on the inside of our church building. See if you can find them- there are at least 31 crowns of thorns, 12 crowns of gold, and 2 marble crowns.

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Giving Thanks For Our Parish Communions

11-13-2022NewsInternational Catholic Stewardship Council

For most of us, the ultimate way we experience Christ’s active presence is in our parishes. It is there that we hear the Word of God and are nourished by the Eucharist. So, this Thanksgiving let us offer prayers of gratitude for our parishes, pastors, pastoral teams, parish leaders and all the faithful who gather together to give witness to Christ’s presence.

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November: A Month to Reflect on Gratitude

11-06-2022AllInternational Catholic Stewardship Council

“It is gratitude that ultimately asks one thing, but at a great price: fall extravagantly in love with what is given.”

Those words were penned by a Jesuit priest, Pat Malone, a man who volunteered for service at Ground Zero after the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings, and who struggled with leukemia and associated complications before succumbing to the disease in his early fifties. A mystic, Father Malone endured, or as he described it, “was given” much suffering. He was also given love, as he was beloved by his parishioners at Creighton University’s parish, St. John’s, who put together a book of his homilies and writings following his death.

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