Advent is a time for preparing – preparing for the coming of Christ, the second Person of the Trinity in human form at the Nativity and, ultimately, preparing for His coming again at the end of time. At the same time that we are preparing for decorating our homes at Christmas, buying and wrapping gifts for our loved ones, preparing for Christmas parties, we are to prepare our hearts to receive Him anew.
There are several opportunities for assisting these preparations at St. Gregory’s this month. Vespers will be sung at 6PM each evening during the season (from Saturday, November 30 to Christmas Eve). Mass will be offered on the eve of St. Nicholas’ Day (12/5) and St. Lucy’s Day (12/12) at 6:30pm, recalling that we are blessed with relics of these two saints at St. Gregory’s. A booklet of Advent devotions has also been prepared for use by families and individuals in the home during Advent. It includes all the major feast days which fall in this month as well as prayers and Scripture readings pointing us to the coming Nativity celebration.
Our annual service of Advent Lessons & Carols will take place on Saturday, December 21at 6PM. Through readings of the prophecies about the coming of the Messiah and hymns which reflect the Advent theme of watchfulness, we are quietly called away from the frenetic celebrations of the world around us in order to better prepare our hearts for the true celebration of the Incarnation.
The Food for Hungry People collection of canned and packaged food will take place during Advent and Christmas and until early in Epiphany. Please remember the poor and bring food to share through a local food bank.
We will begin to put up greenery for Christmas after Mass on December 22, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. If you can stay to help with this, please contact Sharon Green.
On Christmas Eve, confessions will be heard by Fr. Nicholas and Fr. Raphael beginning at 8:30PM, there will be a time for Christmas carols and other music at 9:30, and the first Mass of Christmas will begin at 10PM. There will be another Mass on Christmas Day at 10AM.
Read the full December newsletter here.