Pastor's Corner

How wonderful to welcome the season of fall! My hopes are for a nice “Indian Summer”- cool nights and warm days laced with crispness in the air. They say we are going to have beautiful autumn leaves this year. Some of the trees are beginning to show signs of a turn. I look forward to mums and pumpkins. Give it a couple weeks, and certainly an autumn drive will be in order when the leaves are at their best. The change of season gives us pause to realize and appreciate the beauty of the Creator at work around us. Pope Francis has marked the days of September 1 to October 4 as the Season of Creation, reminding each of us that we share a responsibility to be good stewards of creation and to care for our common home.  

I wanted to include a picture of seasonal beauty on our campus that I’ve appreciated all summer long. It won’t be long until the tulips will be planted in the Guardian Angel Garden in anticipation of spring, so I captured a picture before these glorious impatiens are gone. I also included a spectacular picture of the moon taken by parish photographer John Caulfield on the evening of our Block Party Rosary. These two pictures make me remember a couple verses from a favorite hymn that serves as a beautiful prayer in this Season of Creation. 
“1. For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies. For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies… Lord of all to you we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise. 2. For the beauty of each hour, of the day and of the night. Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of night…  Lord of all to you we raise, this our grateful hymn of praise.” 

As I went to the Jewish Community Center for some exercise this week, I noticed that our Jewish ancestors in faith are celebrating the two-day holiday of Rosh Hashanah. This Hebrew title is translated: “Head of the Year.” Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year; a time of prayerful self-reflection, gratitude and hope. The holiday begins (today) Sunday, September 25th and lasts until Tuesday, the 27th. I love ethnic foods and traditions associated with various holidays. One tradition of Rosh Hashanah is to eat apples dipped in honey in anticipation of a sweet year. The message of this holiday is what captured my attention most. The first thing I said to myself is that it sounds like the Blessed Mother: a time of prayerful self-reflection, gratitude and hope. Towards the end of the Infancy narrative of Luke’s Gospel, we are reminded, “Mary treasured all these things and reflected upon them in her heart.” I’m going to enjoy an apple dipped in a little honey and hear the call to reflect on my life with gratitude and hope along with our Jewish sisters and brothers!

I would like to extend an invitation to come to our next Nativity Good News Meeting on Tuesday, October 4th at 6pm in the parish hall.  We are kicking off the season with an hour of reflection centered around our vision for evangelization, led by Michael Sanem, our Minister for Evangelization. The reflection will be followed by a nice social time with food and drink. These Good News Meetings are open to all parishioners.

I will be at Conception Abbey and Seminary this week with the Archbishop and all the priests of the archdiocese for our continuing education days. Keep us in your prayers as we will remember you.

Autumn Blessings,
Fr. Mike 
 

Today the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday – the theme for this year is “This is my Body, given for you.” We hear these words of Jesus spoken from the table of the Last Supper at every Mass. They are the living memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. We hear Jesus speak these saving words very personally – “for you.” It is in these “words of consecration,” through the power of the Holy Spirit, that bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ – the real presence of Christ that we receive in Holy Communion. It’s a great theme for Catechetical Sunday. From the beginning of the Church, faithful witnesses have celebrated and handed on our beautiful Eucharistic faith.

This Sunday is a good reminder of the ministry of the Church to teach and form people in the Gospel and the Catholic Faith. It’s a good reminder to be grateful for all the people who played a part in forming us in the faith – parents, grandparents, teachers, priests, sisters, friends, fellow parishioners. Let’s pray especially for parents who have the primary responsibility of handing on the faith to their children. We extend a special thank you to our teachers who are catechists for our school, Religious Education, RCIA, and other areas of formation here at Nativity. We will have a special blessing of our catechists at the 9am Mass today. As disciples, all of us are life-long learners, as well as people who “hand on what we have received.”

Our Rosary Block Party was a big hit! It was a nice gathering of parishioners, from our seniors to babes in arms. With the most perfect weather we hoped and prayed for, the parish grounds were alive with conversation and laughter, kids running around and playing as hot dogs and ice cream were enjoyed! It was great to have beloved Nativity priests who served us in the past leading the rosary with inspiring meditations on the Joyful Mysteries. We are so grateful to all who worked to organize and make this event happen. Special thanks to Liz Hagen, who led the charge in collaboration with our Rosary Block Party Ambassadors, the Knights of Columbus, Christian Formation, Parish and School Staff, PTO, Leawood Police, and a host of volunteers serving as needed. I think the Block Party Rosary has now become a Nativity tradition! 

The season of fall officially begins this Thursday, September 22nd. For a good many people, including me, fall is one of our favorite seasons. I look forward to the changing autumn leaves, warm days and crisp cool nights. Be mindful (as the scriptures reiterate over and again) that “the splendor of creation, proclaims the Glory of God.” A fall faith perspective… “At this change of season, accompanied by the changing leaves, may we be mindful that God’s faithfulness never changes. Amidst changes, day in and day out, God’s love for us remains, His promises unchanging and steadfast!”

Next Saturday, September 24th, we will have our annual Fall Festival. We will begin with Mass at 5pm, followed by an outdoor parish picnic with food prepared by our K of C, bingo, inflatables, PTO gift baskets, beer, wine and margarita garden, DJ and music.
Please see this bulletin for ways you can donate or volunteer.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to come pray and enjoy some social time as a parish family to welcome the season of fall.

Autumn Blessings,
Fr. Mike