November 27, 2022 - Pastor Message
04/26/2024“In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying , ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said, ‘A voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths’’” (Matthew 3:1-3).
This weekend, we begin the season of Advent, which is the beginning of another liturgical year in the Church and the beginning of a new annual theme for our reflection as a parish. Last year we focused on the theme of healing, but our healing has a purpose. Jesus heals us for mission, freeing us from whatever wounds or sickness we bear in mind, body, spirit, or community to send us out renewed as his disciples and witnesses in the world. That is our theme for this new year: the Year of Mission.
One of the key figures we encounter in our Scripture readings every Advent is a man on a mission: John the baptist. God called and sent John to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” by proclaiming a message of repentance. People came from all around to hear and be baptized by him, readying them to receive the Lord Jesus with faith when he began his public ministry.
It was from among these disciples of John that Jesus would call his first disciples and send them on a mission of their own to gather all nations to him through their witness. They faithfully carried out their mission by forming a community of believers, the Church, who continues to serve the mission down to our own time and our own community of faith right here at St. Boniface.
Which brings us to our share in the mission. That is what we will reflect on throughout our Year of Mission, but you don’t have to wait for any planned activities we have coming. You can begin your reflection on our mission right now simply by taking a copy of the bulletin home and regularly praying our Mission, Vision, and Values statement, found right on the front cover. A product of our parish pastoral plan, we drafted this statement together as our shared understanding of our parish’s mission, and we intentionally wrote it in the form of a prayer so that we could pray it together. Take some time to prayerfully dive into our statement, really thinking about what it means, and stay tuned for updates about other opportunities to reflect on our mission. May our reflection bear fruit in a renewed understanding and commitment to our mission, and may that renewed commitment bear fruit in an ever-fuller realization of our vision, gathering all nations to Christ.
Fr. Marc Stockton
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