Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Advent is a time of waiting in joyful hope. We prepare to celebrate the coming of the Word made flesh and we await the Third Coming. Overwhelmed by the demands of the season, we can wait for Jesus in a state of anxiety, or cynicism, or harried indifference toward the miracle that is upon us. Or we can take our cue from the prayer we hear every Sunday and “wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” The stories of Advent help us strike the right note for our wait: the prophecies of Isaiah and John the Baptist, full of their own stern hope, the miracles, cures and other signs pointing the way to the Savior, and the unfaltering faith of Mary and Joseph. Use these reflections to immerse yourself in the season, and find your own hope and joy along the wait.

Oh, about this “Third Coming”…I’m never really sure about the numbering system here. It seems to me that the First Coming must really have been at the moment in creation when God first uttered the “Word” while the Spirit or Breath of God was hovering over the waters of chaos. God certainly “spoke” the “Word” completely at the Incarnation when God became human like us in all things but sin. But was that the second coming? The Word Made Flesh abides with us always and comes again at each Eucharist leaping down from heaven not to the wood of the crib but to the wood of the altar. So what are our numbers up to by now? I hope we recognize a “coming of Jesus” each time we are ourselves “Eucharist” for someone else. So while number theory may break down here in quantifying the number of ways and times that Jesus is with us, we can always wait in joyful hope to each as well as “the” coming of Jesus in Glory.

Peace and Blessings,
Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Often we use the phrase, “Knock on wood”—and proceed to do just that: knock on a table or door or whatever wood is handy. Most do not know that the origin of the phrase and practice comes from the rosary.

Rosaries in the old days were made of oak wood and were fingered in times of distress or trouble. And so, holding on to or rubbing the wooden rosary or its wooden crucifix when danger was near became a common way for Christians to deal with hardships and difficulties. The practice slipped into common use as “Knock on wood.”

We are used to hearing stories about good folks turning to God in times of great distress. I do believe that is a good thing. Turning to God in times of great joy is a good thing, too. Turning to God is always good … it doesn’t matter much what the reason is.

This weekend is the second and last weekend for making a commitment to Parish Stewardship. I hope that the last two weeks have caused some folks to turn to God—in grateful thanks if they’re feeling pretty blessed, or in earnest petition if they’re feeling pretty needy. In turning to God we recognize our dependence on God, individually and as a community. The parish institution depends totally on God, and the goodness of God is expressed only through each and every one of you. As Bread and Wine is transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, in a similar way, we see each of us transformed at Mass by our sharing in the Eucharist and our sharing of ourselves, the transformed presence of Christ. The turnings to God will always result in our experiencing God’s goodness, “Knock on wood!”

Peace and all Good,

Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M.
Pastor

Monday, November 08, 2004
Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

During this past week, every parish household received a letter from Fr. Richard regarding our annual Parish Offertory Giving Program. Today, we will once again ask each parish household to make a specific commitment to weekly offertory giving over the next year, beginning on the First Sunday of Advent, November 28th. Many thanks to all of you who have so generously supported our parish over this past year.

The Archdiocesan Office for Worship has indicated that there will be no ritual changes in the liturgy during the cold and flu season. People are asked to exercise common sense and be thoughtful of others around them at Mass. Those who are sick should voluntarily refrain from shaking hands at the Sign of Peace. During the Our Father, rather than hold hands, all of us are encouraged to raise our hands in the orans position, as indicated by Cardinal Mahony in his pastoral letter, Gather Faithfully Together. The practice of drinking from the cup will not be discontinued. Eucharistic ministers are cautioned to wash their hands thoroughly immediately before Mass, and to carefully wipe the inside and outside rim of the cup after each communicant receives. After each Mass, communion vessels should be washed well with soap and hot water. Communicants are asked to refrain from drinking from the cup when sick. Thank you for your cooperation.

November 11th is Veterans Day. Let us prayerfully remember all who have fought in wars during this century—those who survived as well as those who died.

May the Fall crispness bring you many blessings!

Love, Pat Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

When I was in Spokane, Washington, we would expect our first snow by All Hallows, or All Saints Day. So this time of year always reminds me of winter, my favorite season of the year. For most people winter is the time when we settle in, try to stay warm, spend more time with family and friends inside, more conversation, enjoying relationships. And it all begins with the celebrations of relationships with each other and all those who have gone before us. All Saints Day is the day that we ask for prayers of our larger family in Christ, and All Souls is the day that we in our turn pray for them. This year All Saints Day falls on a Monday, so it will not be a Holy Day of Obligation. Yet, because of its importance, we will have a special 12 o’clock noon Mass in addition to our regular 7:30 AM morning Mass.

Sunday, November 7th will be Stewardship Sunday for our parish, the time when we remember our commitment to share from the goods that God has given us for the preaching of the gospel, in all the forms that that takes, here on upper Laguna Street. November 9th is the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the basilica church of the Bishop of Rome and our Mother Church. Again, a time to recall and celebrate our wonderful family.

My Franciscan family has kept me busy. Through a variety of discernments and elections among the friars, I have become the chair of our Chapter Planning Committee (a group of eight friars charged with the responsibility to prepare for and conduct our Province’s Chapter in January 2006). So I was making presentations for the friars in the Bay Area on Tuesday and Wednesday, and at another meeting on Friday at the Provincial office. Wonderfully I had a day “off” on Thursday to just wander around San Francisco, home. During this time of year it is such a gift to have so many opportunities to remember the home that the Church and the Body of Christ is for us all.

Peace and All Good,

Fr. Richard Juzix, OFM
Pastor