From the Pastor's Desk

Merry Epiphany (or “Little Christmas”)

      Our feast today is really the older celebration of Jesus’ Birth in the early Church.  Some countries share gifts today because of the gifts of the Magi to Jesus and because of the gift of God-made-flesh/manifest/visible to all peoples (Jews and Gentiles).

      Where and how do I see Jesus visible and working in my life and our community?  Do I thank God for epiphany moments daily?  With what gifts to I/we make Jesus visible to others?

The Blessing of the Chalk

      It has long been a custom at the Epiphany Mass for the priest to bless pieces of chalk for each family in the parish.  This chalk is then taken home and used to inscribe the names of the three holy Kings over the doorway as a sign of the Christian Faith lived in our home and as a protection against the powers of evil.  Blessed chalk is available in the Narthex for the signing of your door posts. 

The House Blessing

The primary entrance of your home is blessed when you write the letters and symbols 20+C+M+B+09 (the three kings Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar surrounded by the year 2009).  The following prayer is then prayed by the family at their home entrance:

“Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing on our home.  May it be a dwelling place of goodness, loving trust, mutual respect and hospitality to visitors.  We ask this through your Son, who on the Feast of the Epiphany made Himself known to all nations.  Amen.”

SCB’s Ministry of the Week:

Gift Bearers

      THANK YOU to all members who are willing to represent the whole congregation in bringing the gifts of bread and wine up to the altar of Jesus Christ.  The gifts are now in the center of us all in church symbolizing all our lives of love and sacrifice all week, like wheat and grapes crushed together to make nourishing bread and delightful wine.  You, the gift bearers, bring all our works and lives to God and the Holy Spirit changes them into the living Real Presence of Jesus Christ.  And through Holy Communion we receive the greatest gift from Jesus—Himself—now living and working in us!  THANKS TO YOU, JESUS!

      So, this is a very important ministry and every member and family of Borromeo should take a turn at least once or twice a year.  Simply sit near the gift table and pick up the statue of Mary (se we know someone is planning on this at that Mass), and walk up together with bread and wine when the priest comes down below the altar.  Or sign up by calling Peggy at the church office or Carol Faubert at 636-625-9104.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

The Three Wise Men

      In a small southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered me. The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets.

      Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left. At a "Quik Stop" on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets.

      She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, "You stupid Yankees never do read the Bible!" I assured her that I did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the Bible.

      She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in my face she said "See, it says right here, the three wise men came from afar."