A Season of Renewal

The Cure d’Ars, who is otherwise known as Saint John Vianney, is one of the great and holy priests in our tradition. There is a writing of his that says, “The eyes of the Christians see far into eternity.” How true that is.

On the last Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrated the Feast of Christ the King. The next Sunday after this feast, we will celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Our gospel readings and our readings during the week will shift. 

Our readings on the last Sunday of the liturgical year look to the end times. They do look to the Kingdom of God, where Christ is King for us.

It’s a great time of renewal for us in the Church. Every ending presents the opportunity for a new beginning and in the midst of this week, we celebrate the great American celebration of Thanksgiving. How fitting it is, is we are at the hinge of this new liturgical year, a time of renewal for us and what we characterize as the beginning of the long holiday season.

For us to stop, recognize with our eyes, and see far into eternity, and we do that, it should give us the ability to see with love, to see with mercy, and to see with thanksgiving. Let us all have a happy, peaceful, and joyous Thanksgiving and end this year.