Thank God for the Son and the Sun

Nov 29

I have this running joke with my sister. I send her a picture of the sunset and “complain” that “I have to endure seeing this every day.” We both appreciate the beauty of a good sunset. Some days, the sunset is spectacular and truly showcases the depth of God’s palette. The true miracle, however, is that the sunset leads to the beauty of the next sunrise and we have another day to marvel in the mysteries before us.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a great national holiday, and it is always good to remember that we are blessed and to give thanks to God for it all.

Just as the setting sun leads to the sunrise, last week we ended our liturgical calendar with the Feast of Christ the King. Today we begin a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. We begin again and during the next liturgical year we will remember anew the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Our Advent waiting, during the darkest time of the year, leads us to the birth of the Light of the World, the Prince of Peace, the Wonder Counselor. As spring awakens, after the darkness of winter, we enter the Lenten season which leads us to the glory of Jesus Christ Risen. The cycle continues. The sun sets and it rises again. We have much to be thankful for.

One blessing that we celebrate today, December 1st, is that our very own Fr. Andrew begins another trip around the sun. When you see him, you may want to wish him a happy birthday and good wishes in the year ahead.

The cycle continues. The sun sets and it rises again. We have much to be thankful for.