Fr. Gerard’s Weekly Column: 2/2/25

And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.

The feast of the Presentation of the Lord commemorates Mary and Joseph dedicating the infant Jesus to the Lord in the Temple in Jerusalem. As devout and observant Jews, the Holy Family honored the traditions of their ancestors by fulfilling the law of Moses. Every few years, this feast takes place on a Sunday, giving us the opportunity to contemplate this special day in the Church year.

This day has also been referred to as Candlemas because on this day, the candles for use at liturgies for the next year were blessed on this day. In the sanctuary, there would be stacks of boxes filled with different sizes of candles. Parishioners would also bring candles for home use. They were burned for protection during storms and to guide the sick and dying on their way to wholeness and resurrection.

This special celebration predates Christian times. It was called the “Feast of Lights” because it was the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest winter day and the spring equinox. Light was growing.

This feast day is an opportunity to reflect upon the moment when Jesus, the Light of the world, was first brought into the temple and brought hope to those who longed for him. In commemoration of this feast, we bless the candles of our church today so that our hope may be illuminated. In the midst of what has been a cold winter, we long for not only the warmth of the Spring but the saving joy of Easter.

It is my hope and prayer that our parish community has an experience of joy and hopefulness whenever we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. I hope you leave here fulfilled and strengthened by your encounter with Christ. And I hope that because of your encounter with Christ, others may encounter Christ, our Light, in you.

FEAST OF ST. BLAISE – St. Blaise was a bishop and martyr who lived in the fourth century in Turkey and Armenia. On his feast, the church recalls a miracle cure associated with him and celebrates the blessing of the throats. Blaise apparently saved the life of a boy who was choking on a fish bone. The saint said that anyone who lit a candle in his memory would be free of infection, thus candles are used in the traditional throat blessing. We will celebrate the Blessing of Throats at all of our masses on Monday, February 3.

SCOUT SUNDAY – Scout Sunday is a special day celebrated by the Boy Scouts of America (now rebranded as Scouting America) to highlight the contributions of scouts to their communities. This day emphasizes the importance of faith and duty to God as integral parts of the Scout Oath and Law. The celebration of Scout Sunday helps strengthen the bond between scouting and faith communities. It’s also an opportunity for churches and other faith groups to acknowledge and support the scouts’ dedication and hard work throughout the year. I welcome all Scouts who will be present at our 10:00 am Mass on Sunday. I also thank all of the adults in our community who make the mission and ministry of Scouting available to our young people.

WELCOME CAMPS ‘R’ USI am happy to announce that St. Rose of Lima is the newest host of this neighborhood Summer Day Camp. Founded in 1993 at one Long Island Catholic parish, they have grown to 11 locations at Catholic Parishes on Long Island. I am grateful that this family-owned camp with a catholic parish business model will be coming to our parish this summer. Not only will they provide a safe, affordable, and fun program for the youth of our parish, but our partnership creates an additional source of revenue for our school and parish. There is a flyer in today’s bulletin, introducing our parish to the camp and offering an early bird registration rate. Camps ‘R’ Us will be on site for an Open House on Sunday, February 23 and Sunday, March 23 from 10 am-12 pm. More information on the camp, its history, and its programs can be found at campsrus.org

WORLD MARRIAGE DAY – Next weekend at every mass, we will offer the church’s blessing to all married couples. We pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen marriages and families as they continue to witness sacrificial love to the world.

Peace,