When Saint Paul brought non Jews into the church he told them that they did not need to keep the Law of Moses.  These people did not know Jewish laws or Jewish customs and Paul was not going to bind them to all of that.  What then was to guide these new Christians?  Paul turned to the more ancient covenant of God with Abraham.  Abraham was justified by faith and trust in the God who called him to an intimate relationship.  For Paul, the new Christians were to have faith in God through Jesus Christ.  By placing Christ at the center of their lives they were to take on the mind of Christ.  In this way, they would enter into the relationship Christ had with God.

Sin, then, was not the breaking of rules but the waywardness that would come from making something or someone else central to one’s life.  All sin is selfishness and self-centeredness.  It is in this frame of mind that Paul urges the Philippians (Phil 4:4-7) and us to “rejoice in the Lord always”.  Just thinking about our relationship with God in Christ, gives us reason to rejoice so Paul affirms: “I say it again.  Rejoice!”  Because God has called us to this relationship we can “dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude.  Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.”
The perfect stance for the Christian is to focus on God as the center of one’s life and “everyone should see how unselfish you are.”  Paul would urge his people to be obedient to the gospel becoming servants of righteousness (Rom 6:17-18). As servants they are to be eager to serve (Titus 2:14).  Be “living sacrifices” for the Lord by doing those things His will would have you do (Rom 12:1-2).  Jesus set the example of service without concern for serving self: “I have not come to do my own will but the will of him who sent me”
In the end there will be a judgment and it will be based on how well we denied ourselves and served others.  When Jesus depicted the judgment scene in Matthew 25, he stressed how important service is to him and how it should be to us for he showed that it affects one’s eternal destiny.

To the righteous he said, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…” Jesus then will say that tending to the needs of others he placed in our lives was the sign of our unselfish service and made us righteous in his sight. The selfish were told to depart because they had neglected to be of service to others.

 

St. Brigid Church
9:00am	Tuesday December 15th	Lee Fonochetti
9:00am	Thursday December 17th	Flora Amoroso
9:00am	Saturday December 19th	Adolph Richard DeSantis Richard Wells
Sacred Heart Church
9:00am	Monday December 14th	Eugene Buckley
9:00am	Wednesday December 16th	Helen Jenson
9:00am	Friday December 18th	Edward Diffley

 

In Service For Their Country

Lt. John Schiavi, Sgt. Christopher Considine, Timothy Dunbar, Richard Rigley, Chris Cullen, Caitlin R. Battell, Robert McLaughlin, Sean Maddigan, Michelle Leverone, Marissa Leverone, Rev. Paul Passamonti, Airman Jason Cunha, Mark Zarnecki, Elizabeth Leyne, Patrick J. Nordahl, Scott and Michael Donahue, CDR Michael P. MacLellan and Captain Brian Geary.

Lord Jesus, watch over our sons and daughters in the service of their country.  Give them the courage to serve their country with honor and dignity and grant that when their service is finished they may return to us, sound in mind, body and soul.

New Altar Servers Training

Children of the Catholic Community of Lexington, in grades 4 through 12, are invited to become Altar Servers at Saint Brigid's.  This is an important ministry, and a wonderful way for children to become more involved in the liturgy.  Training can be arranged at your convenience.  For questions or to sign up, please contact Jeanne Hobbs at 781-248-9722, or email JeanneHobbs at Verizon dot Net

THE FLOWERS FOR THIS WEEKEND WERE DONATED IN MEMORY OF ROSEMARY FAHEY

Please pray for all who are in need of our prayers that God’s healing and comforting presence may be with them, especially Father William Smith, Father Thomas Nestor, Jen Bombaca, Marianne Slack, Elaine Murphy, Bob Kozlowski, Deacon Bill Wildes, Edward O’Brien, Dorothea Russo, Edward Ronayne, William McCarthy, Marie Dempsey, Pat White, Anita and William Gorham, Mary Whelan, Eleanor Mann, Amy Galehouse Goolkosian, Henry Downes, Billy Wedgwood, Gerald McCue, Kathleen Brown, Brendan Murphy, Kevin Johnson, Monica Cotter, Ann LaMantia, Christine Griffin, Josephine Siders, Douglas DiVito, Mary McGuinnes, Jewel Douglass, Marjorie Kearns, Shannon Capriulo, Olivia Moran and Brianna Cimino.  Please also remember in your prayers all of our deceased family members and parishioners.

Looking For Support During Your Job Search?

Seasoned Human Resources and Marketing pros to lead the Lexington Job Support Group (LJSG) for the Catholic Community of Lexington and our friends.  Learn and share  job search strategies, resources and networking tips while getting support during your search for that next great opportunity.  Meetings are the first and third Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm - 9:00pm at Sacred Heart Parish Center. The next meeting is December 16th. Informal, no need to sign up, come on the evenings you are free with a cup of coffee or supper, and invite a friend.  If you have any questions, contact Bob Ludwig at 781-861-7231 or Donna Heuchling at dheuchling (3)

Advent & Adoration: A Perfect Pair!

Advent is a perfect time to add Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to your weekly routine. You can spend some quiet time with the Lord every Friday from 12:00 – 2:45pm at St. Brigid Church.

IRA Opportunity

Special Opportunity for IRA Gifts Available
But Only Through December 31, 2009

Between now and December 31, 2009, you could make a gift to Sacred Heart of St. Brigid Parishes far bigger than you ever thought possible.
You can make the gift of a lifetime by giving from your IRA to the parish without federal tax penalty. So your retirement funds can go further than ever before.
This is good news for parishioners who want to make a charitable gift during their lifetime from their retirement assets, but have been discouraged from doing so because of the income tax penalty.
Here’s what it takes to qualify for this tax advantage. 

• Be 70 and a half years or older
• Have an IRA – whether traditional or Roth
• want to make a charitable gift up to $100,000
• make the gift by December 31, 2009

For more information and for sample forms to use in making the gift, call Richard Ely at The Catholic Foundation at 617-779-3702 or email Richard_Ely(9).  Or visit our website www.CatholicLegacySociety.org.

Gaudete Sunday

Gaudete Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent in the liturgical calendar of the Western Church, including the Roman Catholic Chuch, the Anglican Communion, and some liturgical Protestant churches.  It can fall on any date from December 11th to 17 December 17th.  The Latin Gaude is translated as Rejoice, the first word of the introit of this day's Mass: Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I say, rejoice; let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. There is a song called Gaudete usually sung on Gaudete Sunday. 
On Gaudete Sunday rose-colored vestments may be worn instead of violet, (or in the Anglican tradition and some Lutheran traditions, Sarum blue) which is prescribed for every day in the season of Advent.  This tradition, previously informally observed in the Anglican Church, was formally noted as an option in the Church of England in the Common Worship liturgical renewal.  In churches which have an Advent wreath, the rose colored candle is lit in addition to two of the violet (or blue) colored candles, which represent the first two Sundays of Advent. Despite the otherwise somber readings of the season of Advent- which has as a secondary theme the need for penitence- the readings on the third Sunday emphasize the joyous anticipation of the Lord's coming.

Catholic TV

CatholicTV Will Air 72 Hours Straight of Christmas Programming
at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV

Starting on December 24th, CatholicTV will offer viewers 72 hours straight of Christmas programming. This programming will include among others, Midnight Mass from the Vatican, an Emmy-nominated Christmas musical performance, and even a Christmas cookie episode of the Catholic cooking show, “Our Daily Bread”.
The 72 hours of Christmas programming will stream live at www.CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV where available.
Highlights and details of “ChristmasTV” by CatholicTV are available below (all times Eastern):

• Daughters of St. Paul Christmas Concert:  Tuesday, Dec.22 at 12:30 PM., Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 6 AM, Christmas Eve at 2:30 PM. Christmas Day at 9AM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday, Dec. 27 at 2 PM.
• The Sounds of the Season- A Christmas Concert featuring ‘The Gregorian Concert Choir’ and ‘The Festival Orchestra’ from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, RI:  Dec. 24 1:00 PM
• “The Promise” with Bing Crosby- Bing Crosby narrates the Nativity story Dec.24 1:30 AM, Dec.26, 1:00 PM
• Pope Benedict’s Christmas Message- Dec.25 Noon & 10:00 PM, Dec. 26 3:30 AM 
• Real Faith TV:  Christmas Edition- “Christmas: Holy day or Holiday?” Catholic teens share their perspective on Christmas and the need to keep Christ at the center Dec. 24 1:30 AM Dec. 26 8:30 PM
• Midnight Mass at the Vatican Dec. 24 11:00PM , Dec. 25 12:30 AM,  6:00 AM    
• Tajci: I Believe, the Christmas Concert. Croatian-born Catholic Musician Tajci takes viewers on a Christmas musical sleigh ride in this Christmas concert steeped in mystery and resonating with emotion. Dec. 25 8:00 AM, Dec. 26 2:00 AM  
• The Nativity: A Christmas program of music and drama hosted by Princess Grace of Monaco Dec. 25 12:30 AM & 7:30PM

CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at CatholicTV.com.  Heeding Pope Benedict XVI's call to greater utilize the power of television and new media, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget.  Celebrate Mass online; pray The Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America's Catholic Television Network.

Please pass this information along to any homebound in our parishes.

Faith & Environment

 

Life Snipits

Pray in season
And out of season!

Sunday, December 13th

9:00 – GRADE FIVE LEVEL MASS - SB
10:00 – ROXBURY CHRISTMAS PARTY – SB-PC
11:00 ADVENT SPEAKER SERIES – SH – PC
11:15-12:15 – REL. ED.CLASSES – SH – PC
1:00 – SODALITY CHRISTMAS PARTY – SB – C & KH
3:00 – 6:30 YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY-SB-PC
4:30 – WOMEN’S RETREAT PLANNING
5:00 – SUNG EVENING PRAYER – SB - CHURCH

Monday, December 14th

2:00 – MASS AT LEXINGTON HEALTH
5:30 – 6:30 REL. ED. GRADES 7 & 8
7:15 – 8:30 CONFORMATION CLASSES – ST – PC

Tuesday, December 15th

2:00 - MASS AT PINEKNOLL NURSING HOME
3:45 – 4:45 – REL. ED. – GRADES 1, 2, 3
7:15 – CONFIRMATION CLASSES – SH – PC
7:00 – PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL – SB - L

Wednesday, December 16th

3:45 – 4:45 RE GRADES 4, 5, 6
7:30 -9:30PM – R.C.I.A. – SB – L

Thursday, December 17th

8:30 – 4:00 - H.P. REM – SB - PC
6:00PM – YOUNG ADULT GROUP –SB – L
7:00 – 8:00 CUB SCOUT PACK MTG.
6:00PM – BOY SCOUTS – SB – PC

Friday, December 18th

STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY
OFFICE WILL CLOSE AT NOON

6:00 – 10:00 – L.C.A. CONCERT – SB – CHURCH

Saturday, December 19th

NO EVENTS

 

Lexington Annual Christmas Eve Caroling

Please bring family and friends to Lexington¹s 6th annual Christmas Eve Caroling event!  Caroling will take place from 4:00 ­ 4:30 pm on December 24, 2009 at the Hastings Park Bandstand in Lexington, which is located at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Worthen Road.  Join in this town tradition that is enjoyed by several hundred residents and neighbors each year who gather to sing an assortment of traditional and favorite carols.  Song sheets, hot chocolate, and cookies will be provided to all!  Please bring your own candles or flashlights.  Email jackiepiscitello at gmail or call 781-861-8772 with questions.

The eight-day Jewish feast of Hanukkah begins today.

St. Brigid
Offertory for December 5th & 6th	$ 9,995.00
Envelope Offerings	$ 8,995.00
Loose Cash	$    994.00

Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 233 have used their envelopes. To date we have received $33,285 in our Grand Annual Collection.

Sacred Heart
Offertory for December 5th & 6th	$   4,828.66
Envelope Offerings	$   4,329.66
Loose Cash	$      499.00
St. Katharine Drexel	$      219.00

Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 110 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.To date we have received a total of $13,390 in our Grand Annual Collection.

Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!

—Fr. Colletti

Christmas Decorating at Sacred Heart

Please come and help decorate Sacred Heart for Christmas on Sunday, December 20th immediately following the 10 AM Mass.

We will welcome helpers to wrap presents, at Sacred Heart Parish Center, for the Somerville Family Center children (red candles) after the nine o'clock Mass on Saturday morning, December 19, and after hospitality on Sunday morning, December 20.  We will be delivering the wrapped gifts to the Family Center on Monday morning, December 21.

Children’s Bell Mass

The children's Bell Mass will be held on Christmas Eve, Thursday December 24th, at Sacred Heart, at 4pm.  The Annual Christmas Pageant will be performed during the Mass.  Rehearsals will be at 11:30 am in the Church at Sacred Heart on Sundays, during Religious Education on December 13th and 20th and dress rehearsal on Thursday December 24th at 9am.  Needed: are Shepherds, Animals, Angels, Holy Family, Youth Choir, Drummer boy.  Please come, bells will be provided.  All 1st, 3rd and 4th graders in the Parish are urged to participate, this includes those in Sunday Religious Education.  If you have questions, or want to volunteer, please call Leo Casey at 781 862 9280 or Mary Lynne Hedley at 781 674 0456.

Haiti Appeal

Within the next week or so, you will receive a letter from the St. Brigid/Sacred Heart Haiti Committee. Please do not overlook this important message: it is our annual appeal asking for funds to pay teacher salaries in our sister parish of Fond des Blancs. Your generosity makes all the difference in the lives of so many children. Thank you!

Advent Speaker Series

Advent Speaker Series entitled "A Look at the Social Justice Work in Our Parish". 

On Sunday, December 13th Lee Crivello will show a new video about Fond des Blancs, Haiti and talk about the Haiti Committee's work there.

On Sunday December 20th Sr. Maureen Clark, Catholic Chaplain at MCI Framingham will discuss her work with prisoners.  All talks will take place right after the 10:00 a.m. Mass in the hall at Sacred Hear Church.  Please join us!

An Invitation From Our Fifth Graders!

Our parishes’ Fifth Graders cordially invite you to join them at their grade-level Mass today at St. Brigid Church at 9:00am and at the Hospitality in Keilty Hall following the Mass.

All children are invited to join in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word, a special weekly presentation and discussion of the day’s scripture readings. After a blessing and dismissal by the priest before the first reading during St. Brigid’s 9:00am Mass, the children proceed downstairs to Keilty Hall to participate in this program. They rejoin the Mass after the homily. Because our Fifth Graders are participating in the 9:00am Mass today, we will not have Children’s Liturgy of the Word. CLW will resume next Sunday, December 20.

Advent Giving Tree

The Advent Giving Tree is up at St. Brigid!  Please stop by to take tags but also to appreciate the wonderful job the religious education teachers and their students - a.k.a. your children did by cutting out hundreds of ornaments for families in need this Christmas season.

Please take take yellow, pink, and green tags first as they need to be collected by Dec.12th for the Roxbury Christmas Party hosted by the St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Youth Group on Dec. 13th.

After you purchase the gift, please wrap it and tape the tag onto the present, or specify amount donated on gift card envelope.  Call Hallie Wells at 781-844-9099 with any questions.

The collection of socks and gloves/mittens at the tree will benefit women and children in need at St. Mary’s Parish in Lynn.

Women’s Retreat

SEARCHING FOR A SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOUR SPECIAL LADY?  HOW ABOUT A WOMEN’S OVERNIGHT RETREAT IN THE SPRING?  Husbands, family members, significant others—here’s your chance to gift your loved one with a refreshing, renewing overnight at Craigville Beach, on the Cape.  The dates are 5 p.m. on Friday, April 30th to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 1st, 2010.  Supper, breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided, plus reflections, quiet time, music and fun activities!  The all-inclusive registration fee is $125; “scholarship” funds are available.  Contact Beverly Good, pastoral associate Beverly.Good(1) or 781-863-0319, ext. 20) for more details or to reserve your favorite lady a space!

Patroness of the Americas

December 12th is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
This is a celebration of the appearance of the Blessed Mother to St. Joan Diego, a native Aztec peasant, on a country trail near present day Mexico City.

Kids & Carols: A Birthday Party for Jesus

Kids of all ages are invited to a birthday party for Jesus on Sunday, December 20th, in Keilty Hall after the 9:00am Mass at St. Brigid Church.  We’ll have refreshments and lively caroling for all and cookie decorating for the younger set.  And oh, yes, we’re also expecting a resident of the North Pole to join the party!

Middle School Friday Event

The 6th, 7th and 8th graders of the Catholic Community of Lexington and their friends, are invited to join us Friday, January 8th, for snow tubing at Nashoba Valley Ski Area.  We will meet at St. Brigid's at 6pm for pizza, and leave for Nashoba at 6:30, where Hot Cocoa and snacks will be served.  We will return around 10 pm.  Please return your permission slips by January 6th.  Cost is $30 and scholarships are available.  For more information contact Mary Ellen Goodwin at tgoodwin99(10) or Megan Chenaille at Megan.Chenaille(1).  

Future events include:

Feb 5 - Movie (tbd) - Sacred Heart
March 19 - Jump On In - Woburn
April 9 - Game night - Sacred Heart
May 14 - Mini Golf

Human Humor

While looking at a house, my brother asked the estate agent which direction was north because he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning.

She asked, 'Does the sun rise in the north?

My brother explained that the sun rises in the east and has for sometime.

She shook her head and said, 'Oh, I don't keep up with all that stuff....'

Megan Chenaille, Director of Youth Ministry
E-mail: Megan Chenaille
781-862-8724

High School Youth Christmas Party
With Yankee Swap
Sunday, December 13, 2009
5:00 - 6:30pm
St. Brigid Parish Hall

All 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders are welcome for food, fun and a Yankee Swap!!  To participate in the Yankee Swap, please bring a wrapped gift of no more than $15.  Hope to see you then!!

 

Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail with any questions or concerns. 

Open to His Presence

When we celebrate our own birthday, it isn’t simply a celebration of the past.  We also think of the present – where I am at this point in my life – where I am going.

When we celebrate Christmas, we think about the wondrous truth of what happened at Bethlehem.  But we don’t simply look back with nostalgia (although there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some of that too).  Most of all, this feast is to help me think about what the birth of Jesus means for me now and in the future.

After coming into this world, Jesus died after a fairly short human life.  But he isn’t dead.  He went through death to the other side so that he could lead us through death…and so that he could be with us now even more closely than he was before.  In fact, he never really left us.  He is still “Emmanuel” – God with us.

In that sense, it isn’t exactly correct to talk about His “second coming” at the end of time.  The more traditional language for what will happen at the end of history is “parousia,” a Greek word that means “presence”.  At some date which none of us knows, His presence now in the world and all creation will be fully manifest.  We will see His glory.

During Advent we especially remember that he truly is “Emmanuel” – God with us.  He is here, but sometimes we forget to tune in…like accidentally having the ”mute” button on.

Instead of thinking only about His “second coming,” we need to come to Him—or rather, open ourselves to His presence—here and now.