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Dear Friends,

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As the Christmas season has come to an end this past Monday with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, we now begin the Ordinary Time. Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter seasons highlight the central mysteries of the Paschal Mystery, namely, the incarnation, death on the cross, resurrection, ascension of Jesus Christ, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Sundays and weeks of Ordinary Time on the other hand, take us through the life of Christ. This is the time of conversion. This is living the life of Christ. Ordinary Time is a time for growth and maturation, a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into history until all things are finally caught up in Christ. The goal, toward which all of history is directed, is represented by the final Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

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I would like to thank all the people who gave their time, talents, and treasure to make our Christmas season a huge success. It would not have been possible without your help. I thank our decoration teams, liturgical ministers (ushers, greeters, lectors, eucharistic ministers, our sacristans) and many more people who helped in many ways. We are all indebted to your great service and devotion.

Many people also helped us financially to purchase flowers in memory of their loved ones. We are truly grateful and will keep praying for you and your intentions.

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Friends, next week we will be celebrating the Word of God Sunday, reminding us of the importance and significance of the Word of God in sacred scripture. I invite you to pray for all the ministers of the Word in our parish, especially our Lectors that they will always be guided and empowered by the word of God that they proclaim. Throughout our Catholic tradition, the book of Sacred Scripture has been the honored symbol of God’s living word present among us. Processions, bowing, candles, and incense express our church’s reverence for the inspired word as it is enthroned, opened, and proclaimed in Catholic worship. The practice of Bible enthronement at every Catholic homes, is a continual reminder to seek and live God’s word each day. While he was instituting this day, Pope Francis stated that, “I would like so much for all Christians to be able to comprehend ‘the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ,’ through diligent reading of the Word of God, for the sacred text is nourishment of the soul and the pure and perennial source of spiritual life for all of us.”

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I pray that at our parish we will all have this great reverence and reliance on the Word of God. Join us next week for this celebration. We will be imparting a blessing on all who help us as lectors, catechists, and faith formation leaders in our parish who proclaim and break open the Word of God to us at all the Masses.

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Join us on January 20th at 12:00noon for a prayer walk that will be at St. Bernadine church in Baltimore. Our Pastorate will be partnering with St. Bernadine as they seek to form grow post “Seek the City to Come” program.

 

On February 2nd join us to welcome the archbishop at our 11:15am Mass. This will be a special mass as he visits our pastorate. 

 

I remind you all that on January 21st we will have our parish Council meeting starting at 6:30pm in the Parish Hall. You are welcome to submit your questions and ideas for consideration earlier too. Call the office with your questions and ideas or email them to the office at sphgrace@archbalt.org

 

Check out our Inclement Weather Policy

• If Harford County Schools are closed due to snow, ice, or inclement weather the parish office will be closed, ALL parish activities are cancelled that day and evening. 

• If Harford County Schools are delayed one hour or two hours, Parish offices will open at 10:00am for a 2-hour delay (regular time for a 1-hour delay) and daily Mass will be held.  Proper use of discretion is encouraged.

• If Harford County Schools close early due to snow, ice, or inclement weather, ALL parish activities are cancelled that day and evening.  

• If there is inclement weather on Sundays or Saturdays, the Weekend Masses will still occur. We will encourage proper use of discretion.  

 

May God Bless you always,

Fr. Francis