Kaukauna Catholic Parishes

        
This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, Rejoice Sunday. In our second reading, St. Paul tells us “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all
circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” We wear rose vestments and light the rose candle to remind us that this is a time of great expectation. Christmas is almost here. Rejoice, therefore, for Christ is near. 

There are times when each of us feels lost. There are times when we feel alone, especially in this time of pandemic. However, we are not alone, for Christ is with us. With Jesus in our lives, the crises we face become challenges not devastating events. If we hear of someone diagnosed with COVID; if someone passes from cancer; if our marriage has struggles or we lose our job, we are in crisis. Whatever the crisis, we know in our Catholic faith that God never abandons us. He is always with us. 

Our first reading from Isaiah was read by Jesus himself in the synagogue of Nazareth, in what we can call the first sermon. “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God.”

As Christians, we also proclaim these words because we are anointed by God and sent to bring Good News.

Today, on this Gaudete Sunday and the Feast of St. Lucia, we will bring the light of Christ to the city of Kaukauna. St. Lucia is the patron saint of those with eye diseases and of light. Together, we Christians will march by candlelight from Holy Cross to St. Katharine Drexel-St. Mary, stopping at the Nativity scene by the bridge. This ecumenical procession will symbolize that we as Christians can bring the light of Christ to the community. Please join us at 6 p.m. for this event. 

Our Psalm response today is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke. It is called the “Magnificat of Mary” and it reads: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant.”

God does look upon us, His lowly servants. Out of the darkness of sin, He gives us light. Out of our despair, He gives us hope. With Christ so close to coming we can rejoice!

Blessings,
Deacon Mark