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Homily – December 29, 2013

Sunday, December 29th, 2013

Recently there have been scenes on news channels about the plight of Syrian families in temporary camps in Lebanon. Families, often separated from one another, suffering the lack of food and shelter. The recent winter storms have made life unbearable for these good people. Those of you who lived without power, light and heat this past week were given a glimpse of what these refugee families are going through. We knew that power would soon, maybe not soon enough, but knew it would soon be back on. These good people have no such hopes.

Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and Jesus. As we heard from the gospel homelessness and dislocation were the realities faced by the young Mary and Joseph and their infant child. No room in the inn, take the child and flee. Homelessness and exile are the reality of hundreds of thousands of people today, good people victimized by powerful and greedy leaders of movements or governments. These are the people who should be in our thoughts and prayers every day.

As we all know the word family doesn’t have the same meaning as the one with which we were raised. Recently I watch the TV program, ‘Modern Family’. What a hodge podge of relationships and yet this is a true picture of family life lived today in all its varied forms.

In our first reading the important words are honor and respect. These words are two way streets; if we look to honored and respected then we are to honor and respect all those who come into our lives. When honor and respect are missing in any of our relationships then there will be trouble.

As one author put it,” It is first and foremost in our relationships, our families, our friends, that God is encountered, that faith is given flesh, justice is tested and our prayer is made real.”

Our most profound sufferings, our greatest heroics, our most significant encounters with God are here with these people we know and love, in their goodness, in their weakness. Where else do we most intimately encounter what Paul calls the “requirements” of love, compassion, kindness, humility, patience and the willingness to forgive.

Some of today’s family relationships are certainly not traditional and we may find them confusing and even unacceptable but if they are sources of love, life, growth and healing to those involved – to quote Pope Francis, ‘ who are we to judge.?’

Today on this feast of the Holy Family we pray for all those living in the reality of the modern family. May they know peace and love.

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Christmas Eve Masses Cancelled

Tuesday, December 24th, 2013

Christmas Eve Masses Cancelled

St. Gabriel’s Parish has no power and no heat.

For safety reasons, all Christmas Eve Masses are cancelled.
(7pm, 9pm, and Midnight)

Christmas Day masses are still scheduled for 10:30am and 12:30pm. There is no 8:30am Mass.

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Homily – December 22, 2013

Sunday, December 22nd, 2013

In Luke’s account of the Annunciation we are told that after Mary gave her consent to the angel’s message she went in haste to be with her cousin Elizabeth who was pregnant in her old age. When Mary came home to Nazareth after a few months away she was showing her pregnancy. Because they had never been intimate this shocked and distressed Joseph. Rather than cause Mary and her family any shame or hurt he made up his mind to call off the marriage. I’m sure he didn’t come to this decision easily but his mind was made up until he dreamed a dream and Joseph did as the angel commanded him; he took Mary as his wife.

Matthew makes it sound so easy – Joseph did as the angel said. But Joseph had to be confused, embarrassed and hurt by Mary’s condition. Can you imagine what a frightening thing this must have been for Joseph? He and Mary were probably in their mid-teens when all this happened. We are in wonder at the faith and trust both of them showed when God intruded into their lives and swept them up in this mystery of Mary giving birth to God’s Son. It is because Mary and Joseph opened their lives to God’s will that all enjoy the reality of Emmanuel – God with us – every day of our lives.

Matthew ends this part of the gospel claiming all this was a fulfillment of a prophecy made centuries ago, ’the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel – God with us. But quote goes back to Isaiah and deals with a totally different situation. Isaiah was trying to convince King Ahaz not to capitulate with the Assyrian armies that besieged Jerusalem. He offers the King a sign, the sign of a young woman conceiving and having a child. It is probable that the young woman in question was the wife of the king, and the son to be born was Hezekiah. This is to be a sign that Ahaz’s dynasty would continue because God was with God’s people. Matthew uses this ancient text and gives it a whole new meaning; God is with us in Jesus, flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone, one like us in all things but sin.

Joseph did as the angel said; he took Mary as his wife. Joseph and Mary were young people of deep faith and they trusted that God worked God’s will in the ordinary lives of ordinary people. They’d seen so many examples of this in the scriptures on which they had been raised.

Joseph and Mary reached out and took hold of this mystery and made it their own. They would face their unknown future trusting they were doing God’s will and God would be with them. Not as easy thing to do.

There can be times in our lives when we too are invited into the mysterious ways of God. Things happen in our lives that we really don’t want to happen, things that totally upset the way we want things to be. We ask why, maybe we scream why.

Why us, why this, why now? When these bad, sad, challenging things happen in our live, by the same grace of God that sustained Joseph and Mary we too can reach out and grasp these realities of our lives. They come in many different ways; medical tests results that tell us troubled days and nights are ahead. We resist and resent when we hear we can no longer drive our car. We find it so difficult to face the fact that we can no longer live alone in a house that has been our home for years. We are angry and feel victimized when are told the company is downsizing or moving to another place. We are totally frustrated when after all our years of study and preparing for a career there is nothing there for us. Our marriage is on the rocks, our children have no interest in the faith in which we raised them, a spouse or a lifelong friend has died. These shocks and so many other things can take our breath away.

Today’s gospel and its young hero Joseph has so much to say to us. He didn’t simply bow his head and humbly accept what God asked of him. Joseph reached out and grasped the mystery and made it his own. Whatever all this meant, whatever was asked of him he would accept, he would work through it for he trusted God was with him and God would see him through it until his task was done.

As we prepare ourselves for the coming feast of the birth of Jesus, we pray that when circumstances call us to face hard times and hard choices we will have courage of the young Joseph who with fear and trembling opened his life to the mysterious ways of God.

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Bulletin – December 22, 2013

Sunday, December 22nd, 2013

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”
Amen.

Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

Dress Rehearsal: Sunday, December 22nd 2:00 to 4:00 PM

S.K. to Grade 5 children are invited to participate in the pageant. Please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866 for more information.

Christmas Schedule 2013

MASSES

CHRISTMAS EVE – Tuesday, December 24th
No 9:00 A.M. Mass
7:00 P.M. – Family Mass – Carol Singing
9:00 P.M. – Adult Choir – Carol Singing
12:00 A.M. – Midnight Mass – Contemporary Group

Office Open 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. only

CHRISTMAS DAY – Wednesday, December 25th
10:30 A.M.
12:30 P.M.
Office Closed

BOXING DAY – Thursday, December 26th
No 9:00 A.M. Mass, Office Closed

NEW YEAR’S EVE – Tuesday, December 31st
No 9:00 A.M. Mass
Mass at 5:00 P.M. for the Feast of Mary the Mother of God
Office Open 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. only

NEW YEAR’S DAY – Wednesday, January 1st
FEAST OF MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD
10:30 A.M.
12:30 P.M.
Office Closed

Parking

While parking at ground level is limited to 51 spaces, there is plenty of space in the underground parking lot. Please follow the instructions of the attendants. Do not park in front of the Church since this is a fire route and must be kept clear.

Additional parking is available on the east side of Elkhorn Public School and in the bus loop.
Again, please follow the instructions of the attendant. The school requests that we do not park on the grass. Many thanks to Holly Richards, the Principal of Elkhorn Public School, for allowing us the use of the school property.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR

FAMILY MASS – CHRISTMAS EVE AT 7:00 PM
Rehearsal: Sunday, December 22nd from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Each year, young people, Grade 3 and up, form a special choir for the Family Mass on Christmas Eve. Children must be at the Church by 6:00 PM. One rehearsal, which is mandatory, will be held on Sunday, December 22nd from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. Please call Marilyn Calderone at 416-618-2041 for more information.

THE ALTAR LINEN SOCIETY NEEDS YOU!

We are in need of 2 people to help with the altar linens. If you are interested, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

ADVENT-SOLSTICE REFLECTION

“Shifting from Darkness to Light: Not by Passive Hope.”
Saturday, December 21st from 7:30 to 9:00 P.M.

The hopeful expectation of the Advent season requires our active participation to effect change; it is not a passive hope.

By examining the recent typhoon in the Philippines, we will seek signs of active hope and reflect on the Church’s calls for ecological justice.

Please contact Dennis O’Hara at dennis.ohara@utoronto.ca or 416-926-1300, ext. 3408 to register or for more information.

GIFTS FOR ROSALIE HALL

For many years, St Gabriel’s has had a close relationship with Rosalie Hall. At this time of the year, we are thinking of the young mothers and babies in need of assistance. If you wish to help, you may choose a “Christmas Stocking” from the Christmas tree in the Gathering Space to purchase pyjamas or undershirts, for babies ages 6, 9 or 12 months. If you wish to buy a toy, please take a”Gingerbread Boy” tag.

Unwrapped items with the original tag attached can be left in the box provided near the Giving Tree no later than December 12th.

For the Moms, we are suggesting gift cards from Shoppers Drug Mart, Tim Horton’s, Walmart or MacDonald’s. These can be placed in the envelopes provided and brought to the Parish Office. Thank you for your ongoing support of Rosalie Hall.

BISHOP GARY GORDON

Many of you have been asking how to contact Bishop Gary Gordon. You can contact him at www.whitehorsediocese.com.

THE GIVING TREE

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a Giving Tree in the Gathering Space decorated with gift tags. Each tag has the gender and age of a child. We invite you to take a tag, buy a gift of about $25.00 for that child and return the unwrapped gift, with the tag attached, to the box provided in the Gathering Space by this Sunday, December 15th. If you are a knitter, there are mitten tags. Please take one and return mitts to the box in the Gathering Space. Thank you for your generous support.

GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

There but for the Grace of God…

Please help feed the hungry and homeless this Christmas by participating in the Good Shepherd Centre’s annual Christmas Food Drive.

Urgently Needed Items:Rice, pasta and sauces, breakfast cereals, powered fruit juices, canned items – fish, meats, vegetables, fruit, soup or stews, peanut butter, jams, tea, ground and instant coffee, sugar, cookies and crackers, ketchup, mustard and relish.

Donations may be left in the designated containers at the doors of the Church. We thank you for your generous support.

CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE

We are having a Christmas Toy Drive for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society. Can you help by dropping off an unwrapped new toy for a child 0 to 12 years old? Containers will be set up at the doors of the Church until Sunday, December 15th.

FINANCE CORNER

Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.

Thank you for your generosity!

Please remember to print your full name on your Offertory envelope and then seal it. Receipts for 2013 donations will be mailed out by the end of February.

OFFERTORY DONATION USING VISA, MASTERCARD OR AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD

You can now use your credit card to make your recurring or one-time Offertory donations to St. Gabriel’s. Your donations may earn you valuable points, travel miles or cash back! A classic case of giving and receiving!

Simply log on to the Archdiocese of Toronto website (www.archtoronto.org) select “Donate Now”, “Our Parish”, “Toronto East”, then pick “St. Gabriel Catholic Parish” under Parish in the Donation Information section. Complete all required information.

Remember that your tax receipt for a recurring offertory donation will be issued to you by the Archdiocese at the end of the year. For a one-time gift, your tax receipt is emailed to you immediately.

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES FOR 2014

The 2014 Offertory Boxed Envelopes are now available in the Gathering Space. Please inform the Parish Office if you have recently moved or are new to the Parish so that we may update our records. If you are on the Pre- Authorized Giving Plan, you will still receive a smaller green box of envelopes which includes Initial, New Year’s, Christmas, Easter and Maintenance envelopes. You may contact the Parish Office if you do not have envelopes but would like a box for 2014.

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Homily – December 15, 2013

Sunday, December 15th, 2013

I think an image we may have on John the Baptist might be that of a severe, intense man, a man committed to a mission. He comes in from his life in the desert, dishevelled in his camel robe tied with leather belt. He calls people to return to the ways of God from which many of them had wandered. His message was clear for all to hear, repent and change your ways. John was not intimidated by anyone, not even the king. He told King Herod it was not lawful to be married to his brother’s wife and this landed him in prison and cost him his life.

It was only after John’s arrest that Jesus, who John knew to be someone special, began his own mission echoing the message of John but in a different way. John’s disciples kept him up to date on what this new preacher was about. Jesus seemed to lack the intensity of John’s preaching. Maybe John and his followers felt Jesus was watering down the call to repentance. So in today’s gospel we have their interesting question for Jesus, ‘are you he who is to come or should we look for another’?

Jesus sends these good men back to John to tell John about Jesus and his works. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, even the dead are raised and most important of all the poor, the little people of the land have the good news of God’s loved brought to them through the teachings and the works of Jesus. These words of Jesus echo the words of Isaiah who saw such works as a sign of Messianic times.

Are you he who is to come or should be look to another? The teaching of Jesus regarding love and justice, peace and reconciliation fall on deaf ears these days, even within the church itself. We breathe in the air that surrounds us, an atmosphere on wanting and having more – especially during the buying frenzy that happens at this time of the year. We know we are a wasteful, disposable society. We trash things and we trash people, we trash relationships. We allow ourselves to weary of the cry of the poor and feel we have no obligation to those who have less than ourselves. So we do look for another to fulfill our idea of the good life, the fulfilled life.

As Pope Francis wrote recently, This “culture of waste” tends to become the common mentality that infects everyone. Human life, the person is no longer perceived as a primary value to be respected and protected, especially if poor or disabled, if not yet useful – such as the unborn child – or no longer needed – such as the elderly. This culture of waste has made us insensitive even to the waste and disposal of food, which is even more despicable when all over the world, unfortunately, many individuals and families are suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

But there is another side to the reality of our times. There is goodness in this world of ours, in this country of ours, in this parish of ours. With a sense of justice and charity good people reach out to others in need, not just at Christmas but throughout the year. By their deeds of kindness, their generosity towards those who have less, by their efforts to bring about fairness and justice in places of work, by people taking the time to visit the sick and shut-ins, people mentoring students who have difficulty learning, by showing respect to people of other faiths, cultures and life styles – through all these good works by good men and women other people who were blind come to see the goodness in others, other people open their ears to the cries of the poor, the homeless, the over worked and under paid. Because of the good works of good people, other people crushed by the unjust policies of governments or corporations find the strength to stand up and speak out for change. Just as an example, our social ministry in Honduras and Jamaica would not be possible were it not for the generosity and social awareness of college students who volunteer for two years to work with us in these places.

With our eyes of faith fixed on Jesus, listening to his words and imitating his works we need not look for another. We can make a difference in our world, our church, our parish as we struggle every day to be the kind of person Christ calls us to be, people who love as we’ve been loved, heal as we’ve been healed, forgive as we’ve been forgiven. Being true to the example and teachings of Jesus we need not look for another.

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