Today, we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of Jesus.  In an Easter message in 2024, as reported by the media outlet “Vatican News”, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, stated, “Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is risen!  Only the risen Christ, by granting us the forgiveness of our sins, opens the way for a renewed world.”  Pope Francis further noted, “On this day when we celebrate the life given to us in the Resurrection of the Son, let us remember the infinite love of God for each of us: a love that overcomes every limit and every weakness.”

As we reflect on these profound words of Our Holy Father, in a world growing more and more secular, we are challenged to strive to focus on the infinite love of God and on the heavenly kingdom that awaits those who are faithful.  Pope Francis calls on us to live for Christ, to love for Christ, to take risks for Christ, and to witness for Christ.  When we embrace this call, we can show by our witness and by our actions that we are truly the body of Christ, the community of hope, and the Easter people of faith.

At Easter, we proclaim the glory of the Resurrection.  The suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection.  Just as we share in the suffering of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in His glory.  Through his Resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin.  He has conquered death.  This is the message of his Good News.

On this Easter Sunday, we welcome all to our vibrant Parish community.  We especially welcome our large number of men, women, and children who have completed a thorough period of inquiry, education, and catechesis and will be receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or the Eucharist for the first time.  During their period of study, they have grown closer together, and they will be invited to go forth and preach the Good News of Jesus by word and example.

We also welcome all those who are attending our Church for the first time and those who do not attend our Church on a regular basis.  We invite you to become part of our community of faith.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who participated in our Holy Week liturgies and other services and activities.  As we celebrate this day, I also want to thank you for all that you do to enhance the spiritual vitality of our wonderful Parish, and on behalf of our priests, deacons, and staff, I wish you and your families a holy, happy, and healthy Easter season.

This Sunday, we celebrate Palm Sunday and focus on the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  Palms are blessed and distributed to the faithful on this day to be used for personal devotion throughout the year.  Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, during which we commemorate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

Commenting on Palm Sunday in a recent message, as reported by the media outlet “Catholic News Agency”, Pope Francis invited the faithful to follow in Jesus’ footsteps as he entered Jerusalem “so that being made by his grace partakers of the cross, we may have a share also in his resurrection and in his life.”  He further noted, “Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble and peaceful King.  Let us open our hearts to him.  Only he can deliver us from enmity, hatred, violence, because he is mercy and the forgiveness of sins. “

The following “Prayer for Holy Week” by media contributor Etta Katherine invites us to truly embrace a spiritual focus as we begin this journey during Holy Week:

As we reflect on this prayer, and on the words of Pope Francis, Our Holy Father has invited the faithful to make a special effort to draw closer to Christ.  He has asked us to focus on the sacredness of Holy Week, and take time to pray, reflect, and discern.  Pope Francis wants us to more fully understand what Jesus did for us, what Jesus means to us.

Pursuant to this request, we are strongly encouraged to participate in our upcoming liturgical services during Holy Week if we are physically able.  We are also strongly encouraged to invite family members and friends to join us.

Please carefully review the schedule of our Masses and our other liturgical services for the week and plan to participate to the extent possible.  Details can be found in the Parish bulletin and on the Parish website.

Today, as we celebrate and experience the joy of Palm Sunday, as we shout “Hosanna”, we are challenged to truly appreciate this special time of grace.

During the season of Lent, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, invites us to enter more fully into the spirit of sacrifice, renewal, and repentance. We can embrace this invitation in various ways such as by praying the “Stations of the Cross”.

The media outlet “Catholic Online” stated, “The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man.  The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation.  The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station.  At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ’s last day.”  “Catholic Online” further noted, “The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of 14 small icons or images.”  They are prayed “…especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually occurred.”

As reported in the publication, “The Catholic World Report”, Pope Francis reflected on the “Stations of the Cross” and stated, “The Cross of Christ bears the suffering and the sin of mankind, including our own.  Jesus accepts all this with open arms, bearing on his shoulders our crosses and saying to us: ‘Have courage!

You do not carry your cross alone!  I carry it with you!  I have overcome death, and I have come to give you hope, to give you life.’”

In another address on World Youth Day, Our Holy Father noted, “the Cross of Christ invites us also to allow ourselves to be smitten by his love, teaching us always to look upon others with mercy and tenderness, especially those who suffer, who are in need of help, who need a word or a concrete action.”

As we reflect on these words of Our Holy Father, we continue each Friday during Lent to come together as a faith community to pray the “Stations of the Cross.”  We begin at 7:00 PM with a brief reflection by one of our deacons.  The reflection focuses on a theme that addresses our Lenten challenges and concerns.  The “Stations” then follow at 7:15 pm.

Praying the “Stations” can provide us with an opportunity to avail ourselves of abundant spiritual graces.  Commemorating the Passion of Jesus through the “Stations” can help us to more clearly witness our faith and assist us on our spiritual journey.

We are strongly encouraged to prayerfully consider making the “Stations” an integral part of our Lenten observance.

Archdiocese of Atlanta has been asked to participate in the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) sponsored by the Catholic Leadership Institute. (CLI)  The Institute has been conducting surveys in many dioceses throughout the United States. CLI stated, “being a Christian has been a challenge in every age of the Church.  This happens because what the Church believes about God and salvation is almost never in concert with how a society or culture understands itself, let alone how it may (or may not) address such things as life after death or eternity.  These, of course, are not the only things we believe; but they are vital to understanding almost everything that we do believe as how we live the Catholic-Christian Faith.”

CLI further noted that, “in every age, Christians believe they have a responsibility to be the best disciple of their Lord and Savior as they can be.  They may not be perfect (even the saints were not perfect), but all Christians are called to holiness.  This remains central to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council of the mid-1960s because holiness is an integral part of what it means to have received the Sacrament of Baptism.”

CLI also indicated that, “The Disciple Maker Index allows you to assess how you may be doing both in your discipleship of Christ as well as in your spiritual growth.  By doing this assessment in the survey like Disciple Maker Index, it gives the leadership of your parish valuable insights into discovering ways that they can use to help make you, as parishioners, better Christian disciples.  This, in turn, can assist you in finding the joy of being a Catholic-Christian which may help others to discover their faith in God, too.”

We are presently in the midst of the Disciple Maker Index survey, which will remain open until Sunday, April 6th.  You can click the link below to participate. We have been assured by CLI that all your responses are completely confidential.  No member of our Parish staff or our leadership team will ever have access to your individual answers.   The survey is estimated by CLI to take about fifteen minutes.

www.saintbrigid/survey

If you have any questions about the survey or if you have any issues in taking it, please contact Jim Shields at jrsx5@bellsouth.net or 770-330-9844.   CLI and the Archdiocese of Atlanta hope that your participation will help you grow in your knowledge and understanding of our faith.

This Monday, March 17th, we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.  Major parades take place on this day in New York, Savannah, Atlanta, and other cities, celebrating the life and contributions of Saint Patrick to the Catholic faith and to Irish culture.  It is a special day for Monsignor Marren and many other priests who were born in Ireland and who faithfully serve the Archdiocese of Atlanta.  The media publication “Stubhill News” reported that Pope Francis urged Catholics, on this day, to “keep St. Patrick in St. Patrick’s Day”.  He criticized the commercialism and excess revelry which has gradually become part of the day.

Saint Patrick joins Saint Brigid as one of the patron saints of Ireland.  Saint Patrick was a priest and later became a bishop in the fifth century.  As a youth, he lived in Britain, was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he lived as a servant.  After about six years, he escaped and went back to Britain.  He later returned to Ireland as a missionary and taught the people about the Christian God and prepared many of them for baptism and entrance into the Catholic Church.

Saint Patrick is traditionally associated with the shamrock, a three-leaf clover.  He made use of it to teach about the Trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  Saint Patrick worked tirelessly in his ministry and won a very special place in the hearts of the Irish people.

The following “St. Patrick’s Prayer” provided by the media outlet “Irish Central” reflects the spiritual focus of this great saint:

May the strength of God pilot us.
May the power of God preserve us.
May the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the hand of God protect us.
May the way of God direct us.
May the shield of God defend us.
May the host of God guard us,
Against the snares of the evil ones,
Against the temptations of the world.
May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us!
May Christ be over all!
May thy salvation, Lord, Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore.  Amen.

As we reflect on this prayer, we are reminded that Saint Patrick prayed for perseverance to be a faithful witness to the Gospel as he embraced the mission and ministry of Christ.  As we know, we are in the midst of the season of Lent.  During this special time, we are challenged in the spirit of Saint Patrick to persevere in our desire to embrace a spirit of sacrifice, renewal, and repentance as we continue on our Lenten journey of faith, and as we wait to celebrate the Easter Resurrection of Jesus.

This week we will offer a two-day Lenten Parish Mission on Monday, March 10^th and Tuesday, March 11^th.  The mission will be presented by Fr. Joel Martin, O.S.B., an experienced retreat master and mission leader from Saint Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama.  His theme will be: “Lent: A Path to Spiritual Growth”.  We will offer morning and evening sessions.  Fr. Joel will encourage us to use this time to get closer to the Lord’s loving embrace, and more fully live and boldly proclaim our Catholic faith.

A Parish Mission can be viewed as an opportunity for spiritual healing, renewal, and reconciliation.  With an emphasis on love and mercy, it also can provide an opportunity to change hearts and transform lives as we renew and strengthen our relationship with Our Lord.

As we know, during the season of Lent we are challenged in a special way to acknowledge our sins and shortcomings and seek God’s mercy.  We will offer additional times and dates to provide us with a great opportunity to avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  The Sacrament is also available by appointment.  We can examine our conscience and acknowledge the ways in which we may have compromised our spiritual integrity.

At times, we need to be reminded that the Sacrament is here to heal, not to condemn.  It is here to get us closer to the Lord who loves us.  As previously noted, Pope Francis stated, “In confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.”  Our Holy Father also reminded us that, “Confession is the sacrament of the tenderness of God, his way of embracing us.”  He urged those who have been away from the Sacrament to be not afraid to reach out to the Lord who will receive you with open arms.

During the Lenten season, we will have additional priests available to serve as instruments of the Lord’s pardon, mercy, and forgiveness, and to help us experience spiritual joy in our hearts.  Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we can more effectively embrace the right spiritual course as we cleanse our souls and prepare for the commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Details concerning the Mission and information concerning opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, can be obtained from the Parish bulletin, as well as from the Parish office and website.  I hope that you will prayerfully consider participating in the Parish Mission and avail yourself of great opportunities to enhance your spiritual life during this special season of Lent.

Next Wednesday in the Church year is Ash Wednesday. It is a day of fasting and abstinence.  Guidelines concerning fasting and abstinence are included in our Parish bulletin and on our Parish website.  Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of people as a reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of repentance and contrition.  It marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent is the time, approximating forty days of reflection and penance leading up to Easter.  Many people will attend Church on this day to receive ashes as they strive to enter into the spirit of the season.

During this special time in the Church year, we are encouraged to strive to unite our hearts with the Lord in a very substantive way.  We can therefore turn to God and seek spiritual renewal in heart, mind and body through the disciplines of Lent: prayer, almsgiving, and fasting if we are physically able.  In a recent address as reported in the media outlet, “Catholic News Agency”, Pope Francis noted that these three pillars form a “movement of openness and self-emptying in which we cast out the idols that weigh us down, the attachments that imprison us.”

Pope Francis reminded the faithful that Lent is a time to strive in a special way to spiritually renew our lives.  We can respond to the challenge to truly strive to turn away from sin and toward the living God, and we can avail ourselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  The sacrament is not here to punish us, but rather to get us closer to the God who loves us.  It is here to heal, not to condemn, and to get us back on track spiritually.  We will provide many opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Lenten season, including several morning and evening sessions.  In addition, we will continue to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation by appointment.

As an aid to our Lenten journey, a schedule of important dates, events and liturgies during Lent and during Holy Week can be found on the Parish website.  During this journey, we are challenged to go beyond our comfort zones and experience the love and mercy of the Lord in a very profound way.  Please take every opportunity to avail yourself of this special time of grace as we prepare to celebrate the Easter Resurrection of Our Lord.

As a parish community, we are blessed to be a part of the vibrant Archdiocese of Atlanta.  The archdiocese shares in the mission of the universal Church.  One way it does this is through the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. 

This weekend we initiate discussion of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal for 2025 at our Masses.   The theme of the Appeal is “We Are One Body in Christ.”  At this time, Catholics are invited to make a significant pledge so that we can meet the spiritual, educational, and temporal needs of our parishes and our people.

Archbishop Hartmayer stated, “The Annual Appeal provides an opportunity for us to put our faith into action by putting the gifts with which the Lord has blessed us in the service of others.   As the main source of funding for all the ministerial, outreach, education, formation, and discipleship work of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, your sacrificial gift-giving allows us to continue the work of Christ throughout our Archdiocese.”

Specifically, a substantial portion of our contributions to the Appeal provide funds that go to the training and support of future happy, holy, and healthy priests needed to serve the Church of tomorrow.  We are blessed to have a newly ordained priest who benefited directly from the Appeal, Fr. Colin Patrick, serving in our parish.  Our contributions are also used for the training and formation of permanent deacons and others in religious life.  Through your generosity and your prayers, vocations are being embraced as we go forth in service of the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.

In addition, the Appeal supports Catholic Charities, which continues to make a focused effort to assist homeless military veterans in the Atlanta area and in other local areas and to help stabilize their lives with housing and employment assistance.  The Appeal also supports priest retirement programs as well as other Archdiocesan pastoral outreach, education, and formation programs that serve our Parish as well as our larger Church community.

We invite you to prayerfully consider making a pledge to the 2025 Appeal and ask you to give generously and sacrificially.  We thank all who have already given them via the mail or online.  For those who have not yet contributed, we ask you to make a commitment using a pledge envelope that will be provided during Mass this weekend.  Information about the Appeal has been provided in the Church Bulletin and on the Parish website.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are challenged to respond in faith to this invitation and request.  Your continued generosity is truly appreciated.

Thank you for all you do to support our Church community.

On Saturday, February 1st, we celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Brigid, the patron saint of our Parish.  She was an Irish Christian nun and joined Saint Patrick as one of the patron saints of Ireland.  She is traditionally associated with the Cross of Saint Brigid.  This cross is made from reeds or straw and is often placed in homes for blessing and protection.  Saint Brigid is known for her extraordinary spirituality.  She worked tirelessly to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She traveled widely throughout Ireland, founding many convents and fostering vocation awareness.  Saint Brigid organized communal consecrated religious life for the women of Ireland.  Her focus on communal prayer and work attracted many followers.  She played a major role in making Ireland a Christian nation.  Many would travel long distances to seek her spiritual advice and counsel.  Many were led to the faith through her words and example, and she can serve as a wonderful model for us.

Saint Brigid is associated with Christian charity and is celebrated for her generosity to those in need.  It was said that she could not bear to see anyone cold or hungry since she truly believed that Christ dwelt in every person.  She strived to work with the less fortunate with love and compassion.  Her love of God and love of neighbor were obvious to all who knew her. Catholic education also was a great priority for her.  Saint Brigid strived to see that the Catholic faith was taught clearly and thoroughly.  She founded several schools and is regarded as the patron saint of students.

The following “Prayer to Saint Brigid” reflects the spirituality of her life:

Brigid: you were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious,
And may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all god has made.
Brigid, you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body, and spirit.
Amen.

As we reflect on this prayer, we are strongly encouraged to make a conscious effort to celebrate the life and legacy of this great saint.

This week we celebrate National Catholic Schools Week, with the theme of “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community”. It is hosted by the National Catholic Education Association, (NCAE).  The organization states, “Catholic Schools have an irreplaceable role in the Church’s evangelizing mission.  Building on the central goal of Catholic schools to form saints, Catholic schools teach and embrace the whole person, body, mind and spirit.  The fact that all members of a Catholic school community share the Christian vision of faith that Christ is the foundation of Catholic education is what unites the school as a faith-filled community.”  NCAE also notes that, “While faith is the binding element in Catholic schools, the Church reiterates that parents are the first teachers of their children.  Holding this tenet, Catholic school communities expand beyond the walls of school buildings to envelop the family as an integral part of the school community.  Together teachers, administrators, staff, students and parents fuel the light of faith by integrating culture with faith and faith with living.”
Catholic education has always been a priority for the Catholic bishops of our nation.  For many years, Catholic schools had been staffed primarily by nuns, religious brothers, and priests.  They are now staffed primarily by lay teachers who truly view teaching as their vocation.  These teachers strive to educate and form students who will embrace and spread the faith.  We are blessed to have such dedicated men and women teaching our students.

This Sunday we also focus on the work of the Mustard Seed Communities (MSC).  Mustard Seed was founded by Msgr. Gregory Ramkissoon, a Catholic priest in Jamaica.  MSC started in Jamaica and expanded to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Africa.  It cares for several hundred children with special physical and mental health needs, many of whom have been abandoned.  Pope Francis stated, “We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished, and protected.” Mustard Seed strives to love and protect the most vulnerable of our children.  It strives to focus on these children as gifts from God.  MSC also manages a number of community outreach programs to combat poverty and provide educational opportunities to local populations.

Saint Brigid Parish supports MSC primarily through its spiritual and financial assistance.  Our parishioners also participate in mission trips to assist in the construction of appropriate housing for the children in need.  Some of our parishioners have also adopted children from various communities of Mustard Seed.  Representatives of MSC will be available after the Masses this weekend to answer questions about the Community and the work it does.  Please prayerfully consider supporting MSC as we stand united with the least of our brothers and sisters.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has spoken often and eloquently about the value of human life and the dignity of the human person.  As reported in the media outlet, “National Catholic Register”, he stated that “in all its phases and at any age, human life is always sacred.  Every child who, rather than being born, is condemned unjustly to be aborted, bears the face of Jesus Christ, bears the face of the Lord, who even before he was born, and then just after birth, experienced the world’s rejection.”

As Catholics, we are called to respect the fundamental dignity of the human person and hope to see that dignity be granted to all of God’s children, including our preborn brothers and sisters.  This support for the fundamental dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life will be emphasized on Saturday, January 25th at a special Mass for the Preborn at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.  At the Mass, we will be reminded about how all of God’s children deserve our love and support, and that we should pray that God will change the hearts and minds of those who fail to value the gift of life.

The following prayer titled “Children are a Gift” provided by “Priests for Life” reflects our concern for the value of life.

God, You are the source of all Life.  At the beginning of history, You gave us the command to be fertile and multiply.
You call us to be generous in cooperating with You in bringing forth new life, new children for Your kingdom and Your glory.
We rejoice, O God, in the gift and privilege that You give Your sons and daughters to welcome new life from You and to cooperate with You in receiving, cherishing, and nurturing that new life.
Bless all parents, Lord, and help those who are afraid to be parents.  Dispel their fears, give them confidence, and fill their hearts with the awareness that children are a gift from You.
May we always reverence that gift, knowing that we can neither demand it nor discard it.  May we be found faithful stewards of creation, beginning with the children You entrust not only to their parents but to the protection and care of us all.
We pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

As we reflect on this prayer, Our Holy Father Pope Francis has challenged us to bear witness not only to the value and sacredness of the preborn but also to the elderly and the physically and mentally ill.  He also asked us to be compassionate toward those suffering from the painful trauma of abortion and to pray for their healing.

This Sunday marks the end of our Christmas Season as we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  The sacrament of Baptism serves as the gateway to the other sacraments.  Jesus began his public ministry after being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

Then this coming Saturday, January 18^th, we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  During this week, our bishops ask us to unite in prayer with our Christian brothers and sisters.  Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, spoke of the bond of unity and sharing that should mark the lives of all Christians.  He has issued a call for unity focused on love, as reported by the media outlet “Catholic News Service,” stating, “Only a love that becomes gratuitous service, only the love Jesus taught and embodied, will bring separated Christians closer to one another.”  Pope Francis also noted that “Prayer for unity is the primary responsibility in our journey together.  And it is a sacred responsibility because it means being in communion with the Lord, who prayed above all to the Father for unity.”

Unity was also an important part of the message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as he sought to unite all people through a message of love.  Our nation celebrates the legacy of Dr. King, and we honor him in a special way on Monday, January 20^th.  We honor him for his work in promoting the fundamental dignity of the human person regardless of skin color.  He first served the Lord as an eloquent and effective preacher.  Then the Lord called him to lead a great struggle against the grave injustice of racial inequality.  At great risk to his personal safety and that of his family, he humbly responded in faith and worked tirelessly to lead the struggle for civil rights in this country.  He focused on a message of love, stating, “I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

In honoring the legacy of Dr. King, we recognize the great strides that our country has made in overcoming the racial injustices of the past as many hearts and minds have been changed.  We also realize that much still needs to be done to heal the wounds and divisions that continue to exist.  People of goodwill need to strive to further enhance the dignity of the human person and foster a true sense of unity.

As we reflect on the profound words of Pope Francis and Dr. King, and as we continue in this New Year, we are invited to pray that hearts and minds will continue to be changed and that a true sense of harmony and unity will be embraced.

The Parish office is closed for the Martin Luther King Jr.  Memorial Holiday, January 20th, 2024.

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.  On this day, we focus on the wise men, the Magi who were guided by a star while on a difficult journey to encounter the Lord.  They faced many risks and obstacles on their journey.  These risks and obstacles included the danger inherent in traveling on a difficult and arduous journey.  They probably battled the hot blazing sun by day and the freezing cold at night.  They were probably, at times, hungry, frustrated, and tempted to turn back.  Yet, they persevered on their journey to encounter Christ.

Like the wise men, Pope Francis reminded us that we are also on a journey, a journey of faith.  As reported in the media outlet, “Catholic News Service”, he stated, “Let us set out anew from God; let us seek from him the courage not to lose heart in the face of difficulties, the strength to surmount all obstacles.”  He further noted, “We need to let ourselves walk in friendship with the Lord, we need his love to sustain us, and the light of his word to guide us, like a star in the night.”

As we reflect on these words, and as we continue our faith journey, we may encounter obstacles in the form of friends, co-workers and even loved ones who subject us to ridicule because we dare to further search for the Lord in our lives.  In addition, we may encounter those in our society who do not want to include a place for the Lord in our marriages, in our homes, or in our schools.  We may also have to deal with our own pride, stubbornness, and selfishness which may be serious obstacles for us.

Fortunately, like the wise men, we do not undertake our spiritual journey alone.  Like these wise men, we are part of a community, a family of faith.  We journey and persevere as a community of faith despite the risks and obstacles that we may encounter on a daily basis.   As a community of faith, we can assist each other in overcoming the many obstacles we face.  We need each other’s guidance; we need each other’s support; we need each other’s encouragement; we need each other’s prayers.

Pope Francis has challenged us, as Catholics, to be a more integral part of the Church in the past.  He spoke of the need for community, the bond of unity and sharing that should mark the lives of all Christians on their spiritual journey.  He encouraged the faithful to embrace “the joy to live in harmonious communion.”

As we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, and as the New Year progresses, we are invited to heed the words of Pope Francis and strive to further encounter the Lord in some profound and personal way.

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has challenged us to strive for spiritual unity and for the strengthening of families by following the example of the Holy Family, especially in these difficult and uncertain times.

Then, this coming Wednesday, we begin the New Year, and we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Pope Francis also has encouraged the faithful to look to Mary as a model, and to follow her example of holiness.  As reported in the media outlet, “Catholic News Agency”, he stated, “The New Year begins under the sign of the Holy Mother of God, under the sign of the Mother.”  He noted, “We need mothers, women who look at the world not to exploit it, but so that it can have life.” He also challenged the faithful to take a more spiritual focus to the New Year, in the midst of the many temptations of the secular world.

This hope for a more spiritual focus is reflected in the following “A New Year’s Prayer” by an anonymous author:

May God make your year a happy one.
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
 But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
 But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
 Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most, and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.   Amen.

As we begin the New Year, and as we reflect on this prayer, many of us make resolutions to renew or revitalize our lives in certain ways.  We may resolve to lose weight, or exercise more frequently, or be more punctual.  But we can also consider ways that we can renew or revitalize our lives spiritually.  One way we can embrace spiritual renewal is by praying each day, especially as a family if circumstances permit.  It may be before meals.  It may be at a certain time in the day.  Most of us are busy people, with different schedules, often going in different directions within our family unit.  So, it may require some discipline and structure to make the time to pray together but hopefully it will be spiritually beneficial.

On behalf of Msgr. Marren, Fr. Bill, Fr. Colin, our Deacons, and staff, we wish you and your families many spiritual blessings in the year to come.

At Christmas, Christ comes into the world and into our lives as a sign of God’s love for us.  The Christmas Season should be a time of prayer, reflection, wonder, and silence as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world.

In a Christmas message as reported by the media outlet, “Vatican News”, Pope Francis spoke about the need to understand the true meaning of Christmas.  He stated that the “good news of great joy” we celebrate is the “sure promise of an unprecedented gift: the hope of being born for heaven.”  He noted that the birth of the Christ Child reveals God’s tender love and that Jesus “gives us power to become children of God.  This is the joy that consoles hearts, renews hope, and bestows peace.”  As we reflect on these profound insights of Our Holy Father, in the midst of our busy lives, we are invited to truly focus on the birth of Jesus.

We are also encouraged to allow the joy of this Season to console our hearts and renew our hope as we reflect on these words taken from Psalm 46: “…Be still and know that I am God, exalted among all nations, exalted in the earth.”

At this special time of the year, may we truly be still and hear His voice in the silence of our hearts, and allow the light of His Son to shine through the darkness of our world and the darkness of our lives.

My prayer for all of us is that in the midst of the darkness of this increasingly secular and violent world, we embrace the spiritual peace that Jesus offers us.  As a community of faith, may we truly experience the joy and love of the Lord this Christmas as we continue to strive for peace in our world, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts.

As disciples, we have much for which to be thankful.  As a parish community, we join in thanking God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us, our families, and our nation.  We especially thank Him for the gift of His Son.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, I want to thank you for all you do to enhance the spiritual vitality of our parish, especially in these difficult and uncertain times. I am deeply grateful for your willingness to embrace a spirit of generosity that, in so many ways, has enriched and strengthened our programs, ministries, and activities and greatly fostered vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life.

On behalf of Msgr. Marren, Fr. Bill, Fr. Colin, our Deacons, and staff, I wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy, and holy New Year.  May you experience the wonder of the Lord’s peace and joy in many profound and mysterious ways.

It is a privilege to serve you and our faith community.

Our faith community celebrates Gaudate (Rejoice) Sunday on this third Sunday of Advent as we wait in joyful anticipation for the coming of the Christ Child.  In our gospels for Advent, the call to prepare for Christ comes primarily from John the Baptist.  John serves as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.  He is the last of the Old Testament prophets who point the way to the Messiah.  He is the first of the New Testament witnesses and martyrs.

Some regard John as some crazy person who lives in the desert wears strange clothes, and eats exotic foods.  Yet there is nothing strange or crazy or exotic about his message.   It is very clear, very practical, very prudent, and very challenging.   He tells us to prepare for the coming of the Lord, acknowledge our shortcomings and failures, repent of our sins, and change our hearts.  With great humility, he acknowledges that his role is subordinate to that of Jesus.  He says, “I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of His sandals,” and acknowledges that he must decrease and Jesus must increase.  John is the voice urging us to make way for the Lord and prepare for His coming.

Pope Francis has often urged the faithful to clearly focus on the Season of Advent, and use it as a time to reflect on our spiritual priorities.  During Advent, many of us can get caught up in the “busyness” and distractions of the Season.  The media does so much to commercialize the Season, and all too often, we may do the same.  We may be busy going shopping; we may be busy going to parties; we may be busy making travel plans.  But in the midst of all this “busyness,” are we really preparing spiritually for the coming of the Christ Child?

As we strive to prepare spiritually for the coming of the Lord, we are reminded that this Wednesday, December 18^th, at 9:00 am, we will celebrate a memorial Mass for our beloved former pastor, Monsignor Paul Reynolds.  He served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta for over forty years.  Msgr. Reynolds shepherded his congregation here at Saint Brigid from 2006 until his death in 2010.  He was a priest of great wisdom and insight and truly appreciated the opportunity to serve the people entrusted to his care.

As we honor the memory of Msgr. Reynolds and as we reflect on the example of John the Baptist, we know the Lord is ready to come to us.  Are we willing to step back from our “busyness,” avoid the distractions of the Season, and truly focus on His coming?  Hopefully, through prayer and reflection, we will truly open our hearts and get our spiritual priorities in order as we prepare to receive Our Lord, Our Savior, and Our King of Kings.