From the Pastor – November 24, 2019

TODAY IS THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING! The  feast celebrates the fact that Jesus is the  Universal King, the one who has brought the Father’s love up close and personal for us. In today’s Gospel, as Jesus is hanging on the cross, he is mocked at being a king. What kind of king is he, anyway? His throne is the cross that saved us from our sins. His crown is one of thorns that penetrated and bloodied his head and face. His kingdom is not an earthly one but one of eternity. Besides, he is a servant king. He came to care for us, and showed that by the way he lived his life. He came to free us from sin and restore us to a right relationship with God. In the end, he invited the apostles and all of us to follow the example he gave to us. He sends us as ambassadors of his Good News, to help make the kingdom of God a reality for all we encounter in our lives.  The issue for us today is not what kind of king Jesus is, but how faithful have we been to the example he set for us. It is only in helping others experience the presence of Jesus through ourselves that we share in his kingship of service. Jesus offers us opportunities each day to help others discover the wonder that he is for them, as he is for us. Jesus offers us an encounter with the Father as part of that intimate relationship he has with the Father, hoping that we would listen and allow the Word to form and guide us. In this way, we        celebrate the presence of Jesus as Messiah and Lord, and King of all the universe, and of all of us. Today’s feast also brings to close the end of the church’s liturgical year. Next week we begin the Season of Advent, a new liturgical year with different opportunities to discover the wonder that Jesus is for us.  On Thursday, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a day of tradition, of family, food and football! But it is an   opportunity for us to formally give thanks to God for all we are, all we have and all we can accomplish as his people. So, in the name of our entire Parish Staff: FR. TONY, FR. JOHN, DEACON DAN, DEACON      JERRY, NANCY CAPUTO, KAREN COCCO, ANN MARIE GESUALDO, MATT WILSON,       CAROLINE PONTERIO, OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND MYSELF,  I want to wish you and your       family a HAPPY & BLESSED THANKSGIVING.  May it be an opportunity to express our gratitude to our God, who has called us as his own and challenges us to express our gratitude in who we are as his people and how we can help make his kingdom a reality for all we meet.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!   FELICE GIORNO DI RINGARIAMENTO!!    FELIZ DIA DE ACCION DE GRACIAS!!!  ~ FR. JOE