The gift from St. Nicholas 88 years ago was given to Franciszka and Jan Patalas when their fourth child, our Sister Dionysia, was born on 6 December 1934. Today in our community we celebrate the birthday of our dear Sister, to whom we wish many graces of God. Please say a Hail Mary for Sister’s intentions….let’s collect 88 Hail Mary’s for Sister Dionysia’s 88 years.
S.M. Joanna Marcińska
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity
Gospel – Luke 1:26-38
“Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” Mary had this crisis of understanding how the plan of God is going to work. Then she accepts the plan of God, “‘let what you have said be done to me.’”. “What you have said” or in other words, ‘whatever you have said’ be done to me. That is complete trust. And absolute courage to open oneself up to the plan of God. Mary is ready to welcome whatever plan God has into her life completely. Nothing hinders her opening to the plan of God. That is the grace of Immaculate Conception. Everything in her cooperates fully to the plan of God. Having the courage and docility to plan of God. Capacity to adhere totally to the will of God. The grace of overcome the crisis when you don’t know what the plan of God for you is. We can be in a crisis because we don’t understand what God wants from us. Or we can be in a crisis because what we want is not happening. The first is the fear to open ourselves towards the plan of God. We need the grace of God like Mary. The second is the fear to lose our comforts. That, we need the grace of God to overcome our selfishness. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to have the courage to open ourselves to the plan of God by being docile to His grace.
Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor
on Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Gospel – Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus is putting before us a big offer. “Come to me… Shoulder my yoke…. learn from me……” and “you will find rest for your souls”. It is about the personal relationship we could have with Jesus Christ. Personal relationship which begins with going to Him, Being with Him and Learning from Him. Then we will have rest for our souls. Then we will have peace. Our intimate relationship begins with going to him in all situations and at times, not as the last resort but as the first resort. We have His welcome. Just go to Him. Then the second step is not just going but being with Him. Shoulder His yoke means being under His guidance. His guidance is easy and light because He takes all the responsibilities. While He guides us comes the third element of learning from Him. What we learn? That He will be there always and at times. So going, shouldering, and learning give us peace. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time for going to the love of God, shouldering the love of God, and learning from the love of God.
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Saint Nicholas, Bishop
“it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’” This love of our Father in heaven is to be understood and lived well in our life. Our Father in heaven wants that each one is saved. When one is missing, He goes in search of the lost one. He searches until He finds it. No judgements and no conclusions, He just brings the lost one and rejoice over it. The attitude of Our Father invites also to be the same attitude to the lost ones, to the ones who failed in the life. Without judgements and conclusions, we should bring them back to life and light. For this we must experience the love of Our Father which does this. Advent is the time of discover the love of the Father which searches for the lost ones and bring them back with joy.
Monday of the 2nd week of Advent
Gospel – Luke 5:17-26
“Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.” These some men are the protagonist of this passage. Seeing their faith Jesus forgave the sins of the paralysed. Their faith is superb. Imagine all the challenges they had to face. Trying to enter through the main door, impossible. Trying to find another door, failing. The gospel itself speaks about the impossibility of finding a way. Then these men come up with a wonderful idea of climbing the roof, lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. This faith does not stop with the challenges and difficulties, it keeps going and finding solutions. This faith brings people to Jesus. This faith does not be bothered by the comments of others. This faith becomes the reason for the salvation of others. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to have the faith which finds solutions before challenges and not stuck up in difficulties.
