Joy, Hope and Love - A Spiritual Reflection

 

Image credit: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Spiritual reflection by Catherine Doherty, selected by Deacon Steve.

Joy is very quiet and full of wonder. It is like a light that shines in the darkness and is connected with hope and with love.

To give you an idea of my joyous moments, the first occurs when I wake up every morning with the incredible thought that here God has granted me another day to love him and to serve him.

Simultaneously, other thoughts come to me from my own humanity and emotions. They creep in like shadows over the shining light of my joy.

They whisper, “Look, you are going to have a whole day full of problems. You are going to have to be in four places at once,” and so on. Through these whispers, the whole weight of the day and of my duties creep in.

But joy smiles. I know that I do not have to face all those things at once, that these too are works of love for Christ’s sake, that all I have to worry about is doing the duty of the moment as it comes to me with love and enthusiasm for Love’s sake- for Christ’s sake.

- Catherine Doherty, “Grace in Every Season”, November 26th, p.311,2001, Madonna House Publications

As we come to the end of the Liturgical Season and the beginning of Advent, with all the busy-ness of the Season, I pray we will all grow in that deeper joy, which keeps all of our “doings” in perspective.

God bless. Deacon Steve

World Day of the Poor 2022

 

Next week Sunday, being the 33rd Sunday of the year, is designated "World Day of the Poor". Consider being a little more mindful than usual of those in need - far, near, and very close.

Our Newmarket Conference has two programs in need of donations:

- Our Christmas Program for families in Newmarket and East Gwillimbury

- Our North of 60 program for food for the Sanirajak community in Nunavut.

Click on these links to make a donation.

2022 Parish Giving Tree and St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Program

 

- St. John Chrysostom and St. Elizabeth Seton combined parishes

We are happy to announce that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Program and the Giving Tree will be running as they did before the pandemic.

For the Christmas Program that serves our St. Vincent de Paul families, your donation will continue to go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards for parents and gift cards from a local store so that parents can purchase a gift for the children in their family.

For the Giving Tree Program, we will resume having the Giving Tree at the back of both churches decorated with stars for gifts for those in long-term care facilities, seniors and others in need living in our community.  Although backed and supported by your Society of St Vincent de Paul, this program is primarily the organizational initiative of the two parishes in Newmarket, working together with the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

For more information or to donate to the Christmas program click here