Fourth Sunday of Advent December 21, 2014 The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. —Luke 1:35 ECHOING MARY’S DECISION The angel Gabriel today confronts Mary with a mystery. The mystery of salvation in Christ is not a mystery that is solved, but a reality beyond our comprehension that we must choose to enter into. In the liturgy of the Eastern Church, everyone waits to see if Mary will enter into the mystery: God waits, Adam and Eve and all the souls of the dead who long for paradise wait, angels wait for new heavenly companions. And there is much rejoicing when her decision is “yes.” We have less dramatic choices offered to us, but the mystery of our salvation in Christ is by no means “solved.” We may understand it a bit better due to Mary’s “yes.” We may be a bit closer to it through the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it still remains a mystery to which we all must give our own “yes.” Soon we will be singing “O come, let us adore him.” May our Advent prayer, our echo of Mary’s “yes,” continue then, so we may enter into the mystery of our salvation in Jesus Christ, God among us. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. December 24th: Wed.) Christmas Eve; 8:00 PM MASS December 25th: (Thur.) Christmas Day ; 9:00AM MASS December 31st: (Wed.) New Year’s Eve: 6:00 PM MASSJanuary 1st (Thur.) Solemnity of Mary; 9:00 AM MASS St. Lawrence Parish Fr. Bernardine Nganzi, [email protected] Deacon Steve Andrews [email protected] Sherry Bootman, Secretary , [email protected] John Brink, Maintenance Lawrence County Catholic Parish Committee Larry Pulleyblank, President, Jay Creech, Anne Gartner, Dora Glenn, LeeAnn Holbrook, Sherry Bootman, Parish Secretary Ex-Officio, Deacon Steve Andrews, Father Bernardine Nganzi, Administrator Bulletin Deadline: Please submit all information for the Bulletin by Wednesday at 9 a.m. to the Rectory. Rectory Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 1006 Collins Avenue, Lawrenceville, IL 618-943-5255 Knights of Columbus meets the first Wednesday of the month in the Parish Hall at 7:30 St Lawrence has a new website! www.catholiccommunityofstlawrence.com Check it frequently for all current events, including RCIA, PSR, and Adult Formation. Bookmark it for easy access! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! Please pray for the Sick, & those who serve our country in the Military Those in the Military: Cody Tillotson, US Army, Jessica Bedoy, US Navy, Kyle Johnson, Army Special Forces, Clayton Bolte, US Army. St Lawrence Parish: Jim Herring, Linda Harper, Michael Earnst, Barbara Heath, Jackie Luchtefeld, Vicki Highsmith, Christopher Miller, Chandra Gardner (granddaughter of Betty Krych), Bruce Laslie, C J Creech, Joyce Wells, Pat White, Mary Gognat, Kimberlee Earnst Jane Couch, Chuck Roth, Gina Rose, Kay Linder, Howard Linder, Marianne Weger , Jennifer Nettleton Also in Need of our Prayers: Kenny Bell, Lois Adams, Westin Gress, Nathan Crawford, Dean Kelly , Jerry Mundine, Linda Barker, Valerie Wilson, Terri Patrick, James Lee Ortman , Debbie Hughes, Rita Volkman, Jean Potts, Chuck Onken, Debbie Seitzinger- Martinez, Jane Kavanaugh https://www.facebook.com/ catholiccommunityofstlawrence READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8abcd; Lk 1:46-56 Mal 3:1-4, 23-34; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 Wednesday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:67-79 Thursday: Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [18-25] Night: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3, 11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 [1-5, 9-14] Friday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Saturday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Sunday: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or Gn 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Ps 128:1-5 or Ps 105:1-6, 8-9; Col 3:12-21 [12-17] or Hb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; Lk 2:22-40 [22, 39-40] SAT. 12/20@ 4:00PM; Shirley Kay Kavanaugh SUN. 12/21@ 9:00AM; Dorothy Andrews MON. 12/22; No Mass TUES. 12/23@ 8:00AM; Florence Hardy WED. 12/24@ 8:00PM; Jerry and Ron Beltz and Family THUR. 12/25@ 9:00AM; Elizabeth Johns FRI. 12/26@ 8:00AM; Shirley Kay Kavanaugh SAT. 12/27@ 4:00PM; John Merle Jordan SUN. 12/28@ 9:00AM; Aggie Gognat CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIALS Jerry and Ron Beltz The Dunn Family The Akers Family The Stoltz Family The Beltz Family The Danielsen family Don Moody Marie Moody The Holbrook Family The Heeron Family Don Hesher Marge and Jim Burns Plomer Barnes Family Anthony Standarski Family Mike Tillotson Christopher Short Baby Short The Ortman Family The Creech Family Mary Jo Hasler Baby Krych Jesse Longnecker Don Hesher Jesse Shannon Bill and Dorothy Smith Frank Supinie Ronnie G. White Dwight, Jean and Ike Coonce George and Monica Geiger Frank and Mary Zwilling Seth Wirth The Clauss Family Marie Moody Joseph and Adeline Pacholski Loretta Gajewski Josephine Gajewski The Lockhart Family The Novsek Family Dorothy Andrews Aggie Gognat Elizabeth Johns Shirley Kay Kavanaugh Corrine Roth The Diver Family Joan Stephenson Frank Ladner December 24th: Wed.) Christmas Eve; 8:00 PM MASS December 25th: (Thur.) Christmas Day ; 9:00AM MASS December 31st: (Wed.) New Year’s Eve: 6:00 PM MASSJanuary 1st (Thur.) Solemnity of Mary; 9:00 AM MASS RESPECT LIFE CORNER Prepare for Christ’s Coming – This weekend is the winter solstice, when we experience the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Advent is about waiting in the uncertainty of darkness. Learn, Act, Connect, Pray: Think about the times you have waited in the dark with a family member. Perhaps it was illness, or maybe fear, or simply a power outage that kept you in vigil together. Disperse the darkness today by keeping your Advent candles burning a bit longer. Pray the Rosary and meditate on the Luminous Mysteries. Volunteers Needed!!! We need lectors, greeters, servers and Extra ordinary members of the Eucharistic Ministers for Saturday mass. We need greeters, lectors , servers and Extra ordinary members of the Eucharistic Ministers for Sunday mass. If you are willing to serve in any of these ministries contact Susan Lytis email: [email protected]. or call or text 618 843-8606. Current volunteers please send Susan Lytis the dates you can serve or dates unavailable. For Months January, February, March and April for the next ministry's schedule. ✂ Please Cut Out This “Thank You Ad” Grow Your Business, Advertise Here. and Present It The Next Time You Patronize One of Our Advertisers Support Your Church & Bulletin. 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