Notes from the Pastor’s Pen – November 27, 2022

People of the Light

We are called to reflect the light of God’s love through the ways in which we live our lives. Imagine the impact if each of us took this call to heart, every day, at home, work, or school, in our parish, in the world. “All nations shall stream toward it,” toward the love that only comes from God. Yet, we must admit that much of the time we fail to be beacons of God’s light. We fall asleep, complacent, preferring to go the easy route, which often leads to darkness rather than the radiance of Christ’s light. As we begin the season of Advent, Saint Paul admonishes us to throw off the works of darkness, to awaken to the call of light and love. In today’s Gospel, Jesus too tells us to stay awake, to be prepared to greet the Lord of light as people of the light.

© J. S. Paluch Co.

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Notes from the Pastor’s Pen – November 20, 2022

The True Kingship of Jesus Christ

What kind of King is Jesus? How do you envision him? Remembering that they were promised a king from the line of David, the Israelites hoped for a Messiah who would set their political problems aright and bring about a worldly kingdom of Judaic power. Even Psalm 122 seems to describe this type of ruler. Luke’s Gospel today shreds that image after the whip of the Roman soldiers tore at Jesus’ flesh. Still, the Romans flaunted the traditional notion with their ironic inscription above King Jesus’ crown of thorns. Soldiers and ordinary people jeered the royal title at him. Yet the throne of Jesus was the cross of Christ, from which he dispensed kingly mercy and justice toward the humble criminal who shared his execution. Writing to the Colossians, Saint Paul describes the truth about Jesus and his kingship, using words like fullness, peace, and forgiveness. So let us go rejoicing!

© J. S. Paluch Co.

Notes from the Pastor’s Pen – November 13, 2022

Dear friends,

Now that Saint Joseph Parish has concluded its listening session regarding the Archdiocesan pastoral planning initiative, “All things New,” please be sure to complete the online survey in order to express your thoughts in writing. If you have not received the link to the online survey, visit https://allthingsnew.archstl.org/PlanningProcess/Planning-Areas/Planning-Area-6 Otherwise, please contact Karen in the parish office who will help facilitate your receiving it.

For those who go to the weekday confessions or noon Mass here at Saint Joseph Church, I would like you to know that the Reverend Father Edward Ruane, O.P., who has regularly celebrated them for the past few years, is being transferred this December 1 to serve as the Chaplain of the Dominican Nuns at the Monastery of Mary Queen in Girard, Illinois.

In informing me of his new assignment, Father Ruane wrote the following: “I wanted to thank you for the opportunity of serving at St. Joseph’s from time to time. I have been impressed by the constant number of confessions, the prayerfulness and kindness of the people who are at daily Mass. So, thank you for giving me that opportunity.”

If you would like to express your gratitude to Father Ruane for his priestly service here, please feel free to write to him at Saint Dominic Priory, 3407 Lafayette Avenue, Saint Louis, Missouri 63104. May the Lord Jesus bless him in his new assignment.

In Christ,
Father Bené