I hope everyone has had a very holy and joyful Christmas season.
A SPECIAL THANKS to everyone who helped make Christmas beautiful at the church
and the chapel in Nokesville. Whether you cleaned, caroled, took gifts to children,
arranged flowers, the Creche or altar linens, served Mass as an altar server or lector or
usher, thank you very much for your selflessness. Thank you to our deacons who helped
greatly in our Masses. In a particular way, thank you to the choirs and musicians who
spent many hours both in preparation for Christmas and in celebration of Christmas at the
Masses.
Again, our parish has helped many families prepare for Christmas by having an
experience of Bethlehem. Our Bethlehem Walk was tremendous. Thank you to
everyone who helped: whether behind the scenes with preparation, set-up and clean up;
or, in participating each night. We thank you Mrs. Margi Loesel and Mrs. Lisa Gogal for
coordinating the Bethlehem Walk!
On a related note, Father Bork, Father Stefan, and I would like to thank all who were
generous to us this Christmas, especially with Mass cards. It is quite humbling. May
Our Lord reward your generosity.
As many will make New Year’s Resolutions for more or less secular reasons, it may be
good to put some ideas on paper for possible New Year’s Resolutions on a spiritual order.
- In this Year of the Eucharist, can I get to Mass one more day of the week? Mass
is the greatest prayer. - Make a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament each day for a few minutes.
- Arrive at Mass five minutes earlier to talk to Our Lord and recollect ourselves.
- Receive the sacrament of Penance at least once a month – i.e. the First Saturday
of the month or first Wednesday – perhaps even more often. - Read a chapter from one of the Gospels each day.
- Read ten minutes a day on the life of a saint, writings of a saint, writings of Pope
John Paul II, or some other trustworthy spiritual writer. - Offer a mortification to Jesus (for a family member), i.e. get out of bed when the
alarm goes off, let the water be cooler in the shower, self-denial at a meal, etc. - Do one more selfless act a day than normal, i.e. help with the chores of a
spouse/parent/brother/sister (even without that person knowing). - Become more pro-life in one’s activities and prayers.
- Grow in devotion to Our Lady by praying the daily Rosary, Angelus, or other
Marian prayers, and asking Mary for her intercession.
May the end of 2023 find us closer to Jesus than we were at the beginning of 2023.
God bless
FRVW
