Bulletin Reflection for the third Sunday of Advent - 11 December 2022 - Holy Savior Catholic Church - Clinton MS

     We are now in the middle of our Advent season in which we will celebrate Christmas in two weekends.  We give thanks for this Advent time of preparation and waiting.  Today, we celebrate Guadete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, with the rose colored candle on the Advent wreath, signifying the joy that we feel in our hearts as we journey closer to the day of the birth of our Lord.  

     Last Thursday, on December 8, we commemorated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, honoring the conception without sin in which our Blessed Mother was born.  Then, last Friday, we commemorated St Juan Diego, the humble Mexican peasant to whom the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in Mexico City in 1531.  The feast day of our Lady of Guadalupe will be celebrated on Monday, December 12.  It is appropriate that we honor the Mother of the Lord in different ways as we journey through the holy season of Advent as we prepare and wait for the coming of the Lord. 

       We hope that you will join us for the Advent reconciliation service this Wednesday, December 14 at 6:00 pm. We are going to have various priests here to listen to your confession. Then, this year, in addition to our 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Mass, we will have a midnight Mass this year.  We will also have our normal schedule of Masses on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25.  As this is my first year at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception, I am looking forward to celebrating Christmas with all of you.  

      Blessings to all of you as we continue our journey during Advent.  Father Lincoln.  

Prayers of the faithful - 3rd Sunday in Advent - 11 December 2022

Introduction: For the second week in a row, we hear from John the Baptist in our Gospel.  Just as John prepared the way for the Lord and made a path for his coming, may we also continue to prepare a path for the Lord in our hearts as we await his coming at Christmas. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to prepare a way for the Lord. 

Lord Jesus - you are the Son of the Father. 

Priest: Today as we rejoice in expectation of the coming of our Savior, we make our prayers to our understanding and generous Father.

1. We pray for the leaders in the Church, both ordained and non-ordained, that they may be inspired to prepare God’s people for the coming of our Savior.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. For catechists, teachers, and ministers of the word: that they may be faithful messengers of the message of Good News they bring.  We pray to the Lord.  

3. During this Advent season, we pray for the time, the space, and the grace to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives as we await with expectation the joy of Christ’s birth.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. For the sick members of this community of faith, for our sick loved ones and family members, that they may be comforted and encouraged in God’s word.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. For those who are discouraged, who are battling addictions, or struggling with mental health issues, that they may persevere in prayer and find strength in God’s loving care.  We pray to the Lord. 

6. We remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Father, as we journey through this season of Advent, may we open our minds and hearts to your word and to your presence in our brothers and sisters. We make these prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

prayers of the faithful - second week of Advent - 6 December 2022

Lord Jesus - you are of the tree of Jesse

Christ Jesus - you are the morning star. 

Lord Jesus - you are Emanuel. 

In the midst of our Advent journey, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father;  

1. For justice in our world: that we may strive to fulfill our duties to others and use our gifts to ease suffering and promote the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters. 

2. For the healing of violence in our communities: that God will heal and comfort those who have experienced violence, free their hearts from fear, and help us to comfort and support them. 

3. For protection and healing: that God will provide healing to us in body, mind, and spirit. May he give strength and perseverance to family members, care givers, medical professionals, and all who care for the sick. 

4. For all who are suffering: that God will heal the wounds of discrimination, guide all who lack focus and direction in life, and help all who are struggling with addictions to have a new beginning. 

5. For students as they finish the semester: that God will give them strength in their studies and accompany them during their time of Christmas vacation.  

6. For the protection of earth's resources: that God will give wisdom and understanding to our role as steward of God’s creation.  

7.  For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

With Advent joy and hope, we present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

Calendar - Masses and Liturgies and Holy Savior Clinton and Immaculate Conception Raymond - Advent and Christmas 2022

Dear Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception Parishioners - Below you will find a schedule of our special Masses and other events at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception through the end of the year. I hope you will join us during this blessed holiday season. Father Lincoln.

Special liturgies and Masses at Holy Savior during Advent and Christmas:

Wednesday Dec 7 - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm.

Thursday Dec 8 - Solemnity Immaculate Conception - Masses at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm

Friday Dec 9 - mass of the anointing of the sick - 8:30 a

Week of Dec 13 - 16 - All Masses Tuesday - Friday this week will be at 8:30 am due to Father Lincoln helping with reconciliation services in the evenings at other parishes.

Wednesday Dec 14 - Advent reconciliation service - 6:00 pm

Christmas Eve Mass - 5:00 pm and Midnight

Christmas Morning Mass - 8:00 am at Immaculate Conception and 10:30 am at Holy Savior

Week of Dec 27 - 30 - Daily Mass Schedule as usual

Dec 31 and Jan 1 - Solemnity of Mary Mother of God - normal weekend Mass schedule - 5:00 pm Saturday Vigil Mass at Holy Savior and Sunday Masses at 8:00 am at Immaculate Conception and 10:30 am at Holy Savior.

Advent prayer - Catholic relief services

As we are now in the second week of Advent, it is important that we reflect upon our Advent journey.  We as a society have been through a lot of struggles these past couple of years.  There has been a lot of suffering, fear, and frustration coming out of the pandemic and with all the division and strife we have faced as a society.  But there have been a lot of blessings and new life as well.  We are all called to work toward a time of renewal, healing, and rebirth.  May we gain important insights as we journey through the Advent season this year.  I would like to share with you the following Advent prayer from Catholic Relief Services: 

Something in Me Wants to Be Born in Winter

Lord of all Light,

When my days are filled with doubt,

Something within me will not cease believing.

When I feel despair, something in me still hopes.

Even when I see hatred,

Something within me is still moved to love.

I am not Mary: Sinless, blameless, ever-virtuous.

Yet something in me wants to be born in winter.

Teach me to nourish it, protect it, give it life.

Teach me to say: Yes.

To faith, and to hope, and to love.

To your coming to live among us in this strange place.

For even when I am broken, fragmented, shattered even,

Something in me wants to be born in winter.

And in that yes,

Beyond any mercy I can imagine I am made whole.

Amen. 

Advent prayers of the faithful - 4 December 2022 - 2nd Sunday of ADVENT

Introduction:  On this second Sunday of the holy season of Advent, we hear the call from John the Baptist to repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.  May we hear his call to make a path for the Lord in our lives during these days of preparation.  

Lord Jesus - you call us to justice.

Christ Jesus - you bring us light.

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope.

Priest: As we journey through this second week of the Advent season, we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father with confidence and hope:

1. We pray for the Church: That all followers of Jesus may welcome one another as brothers and sisters as we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s coming as our Prince of Peace.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. We pray for the world: That all of God’s children may choose peaceful ways to solve their disagreements and differences, wherever they may be. We pray to the Lord. 

3. We pray for all people who suffer without hope in our world. That they may find hearts and hands reaching out to them with encouragement and love in their struggles.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray for all who hunger for food, for friendship or for a home in our world. That God may provide for their needs through the generosity of all his children.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. We pray for our Catholic community: That we may grow together in faith, hope, and love during this season of holy waiting.  We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our children and youth, that God will take care of their needs and fill their hearts with Christ’s gentleness, kindness, and mercy in this Advent season.  We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: With hearts full of Advent joy, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.

Prayers of the faithful - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - 8 December 2022

Introduction: We welcome all of you to Mass today as we celebrate the Immaculate Conception in the midst of the Advent season.  As Mary was conceived without sin to bear God’s son, so we ourselves are reborn without sin in the waters of baptism.  In faith and wonder, let us approach this sacred mystery.  

Penitential Rite

Lord Jesus - you protected Mary from sin - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you sanctified Mary in your presence - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you presented Mary to your Church - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the faithful

Priest: As we celebrate our Mother Mary today in a special way, let us present our prayers to God, who has brought salvation to all the world.

1. For the Holy Church, that Christians may do God’s will cheerfully, as Mary did in her life. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the nations of the world and their leaders, that they may reach out to the needy and the forgotten with compassion and mercy.   We pray to the Lord. 

3. For believers everywhere, that experiencing God’s mercy, they may be merciful to others and work toward reconciliation and healing.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. For all children, born and unborn, that they may be loved as warmly as Mary’s own child Jesus.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. For the sick and shut-ins our of community, for all who need healing in body, mind and spirit.  We pray to the Lord. 

6. For God’s chosen ones who have died, that they may find a home in heaven, with Our Lady and the saints. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts, both spoken and unspoken, We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: O God, salvation of the earth, your power is seen in the lives of your people: continue to support us with your grace, we pray, through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.