Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Gaudete!  Rejoice for the Lord is near.  Ever so quickly we have come to Gaudete Sunday marking the latter half of the Advent season.  Though the Scriptures are promoting a sense of joy, Isaiah, St. Paul, the Responsorial Magnificat, but the Gospel goes in a different direction.  Surely there is the joy of John the Baptist since he has encountered his relative Jesus the Messiah but he is hounded by the curiosity of the authorities whose motives are suspect.  

    Curiosity is one of those human traits that can be for good or for ill.  Think of the curiosity of Adam and Eve regarding the forbidden fruit.  It seems that when it comes to curiosity it can lead us down two paths.  John was curious regarding Jesus and that was indeed a good return (” are You the one or our we to expect another?”).  Our Lord satisfies his curiosity and provides peace to John’s heart.  That is where we would like curiosity to lead us, closer to the love and mercy of God.  While most of the time we are intrigued by what surrounds us and would like answers to life’s mysteries, perhaps in these final days of Advent we should have a little curiosity about ourselves.  Who am I? Where am I going? What truly brings happiness to my life?  The answers to these important questions are to be found in a thorough examination of conscience and subsequent encounter with Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession.  Take note of the opportunities to partake of the Sacrament that bestows comfort and peace and guarantees a truly joyous Christmas.

     Once again we have been gifted and blessed by a mystery donor.  I am referring to the beautiful and artistic wreaths on the front doors of  St Mary Magdalen Church.  Every year they just appear and we have no idea who makes them or gives them.  My curiosity is peaked but my gratefulness and that of our fellow parishioners is most assured.  Thank you.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    What good can come from the desert?  It seems lifeless, scorching, and foreboding and yet from this desolate place emerges the messenger of the Lord John the Baptist.  Our Savior Himself absconded to the desert before He began His public ministry and Isaiah the prophet predicts that something good will come from the desert.  It can be seen as the start of a new creation. After all, God created this universe “ex nihilo”, out of nothing, and in ushering the creation new and superabundant life comes forth in the person of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

    In God’s unfolding plan He provides for a forerunner to prepare the way for the coming of the long-awaited One.  John the Baptist fulfils that mission.  By today’s standards the Baptist would be considered kind of kooky.  His hoary appearance would have turned off some people but it was the substance of his preaching and call to repentance that prepared a waiting world for the Savior.  Perhaps we should take a lesson from John and be a little kooky ourselves.  What if you, yes you, invited someone who for a long time has been away from the Church to come back and review once again what the Lord has done for them: Died for their sins, nourished them with the Bread of Life, the Holy Eucharist, and set them free from the gnawing guilt and remorse as a result of buried sin.  Would you be considered a bit kooky in encouraging them to go to confession.  Maybe so, but would you not be like John the Baptist.  Yor certainly would be in great company and I don’t think you have to fret too much about losing your head!

   Let these days of Advent be fruitful for you and those you care about by taking the risk and guiding your loved ones to the loving embrace of our Savior.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

          Thursday Eve (Vigil)-       St. Joseph’s, Rileyville at 6:00 PM

          Friday                              St. Mary Magdalen, 7:25 AM and 12:05 PM

                                                  St. Bernard’s, Beach Lake at 6:00 PM

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     With the first Sunday of Advent we initiate the new liturgical year.  Year B in the three year cycle of Mass readings will feature the Evangelist St. Mark but because it is the shortest of the four Gospels we will from time to time draw from the other three Evangelists as well, especially during the Paschal Season.  Daily Mass readings will be from Year 2.  Though Mark was not one of the Twelve, i.e. Apostles, he was closely associated with our Lord, most likely as a teenager and eventually became the “secretary” for St. Paul and St. Peter, primarily.  He had both a Hebrew (John) and a Greek (Mark) name so he was fluent in both cultures and ended up writing from the words of St. Peter.  His Gospel was especially directed to the gentiles.  It is always important to know the background of our Evangelists because it puts in perspective to whom the Good News is oriented.  We as Gentiles appreciate Mark’s focus towards us.

     The beginning of Advent, which is a mere three weeks and a day for us this year, emphasizes watchfulness and joyful expectation.  Put yourself in the “shoes” of those living in the time of our Lord.  There is the feeling, as we glean from the Scriptures, that God is up to something.  Jew and Gentile alike are anxious because there is something in the air.  If we are childlike, as our Lord reminds us we must be, then like our little ones we are waiting with excitement for what is to come.  Rather than get ourselves bogged down with unimportant things we should take the time to focus on preparing for the coming of the Lord.  We can either look at Christmas as: ” Oh no it’s here again and I have so much to do”, or ” this year I am going to prepare by imitating the Blessed Virgin Mary with an interior joyfulness awaiting  a baby’s birth.”  Which will you choose?  

     Of course one and perhaps most importantly in our preparation is making a good and thorough Confession.   There are always daily opportunities for your convenience but also special Penance Services locally which are available.   As we go to great lengths to have a clean house to welcome visitors, how about a clean soul to welcome The Visitor, Emmanuel?

      I would like to take this opportunity to express profound thanks to all who contributed in making our recent spaghetti dinner a tremendous success.  From Chefs to servers, in particular our Knights of Columbus and our Youth Group, to our beautiful basket committee and those who donated them we commend you on your dedication, hard work and love of your parish.  Well done good and faithful servants.

      And finally a special thanks to  Hessling-Murray for the 2024 liturgical calendars  They are strikingly beautiful and are available at the entrance ways of our churches.

Let us watch and wait with joyful hearts,

Father Langan