December 9th, 2021

Glory to Jesus Christ! 

As we enter the final weeks of the Nativity Fast, our prayer, fasting and charity should be more fervent and intense, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Join us for the prayer services and for the other events coming up in the next couple of weeks.on Saturday, Dec. 11 the procession for our Lady of Guadalupe from Mater Dei parish (at 9:30am) to St. Basil’s where we will pray the Akathist Hymn at noon, followed by a celebration sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

• on Sunday, Dec. 12 the Liturgy will celebrate the apparition of the Theotokos in the New World on the Tepeyac Hill, also known as Guadalupe.
• on Saturday, Dec. 18, remembering the journey for Mary and Joseph, searching for lodging in Bethlehem, we will have a Byzantine Posadas, with our children re-enacting the principal roles, with a real donkey!!! As we walk we will sing and read the story, until they find lodging. Our celebration will continue with hot cocoa, spiced cider and Mexican sweets, and of course a Piñata! This beautiful tradition of New Spain (of which Texas was a part) begins at 1pm (concluding at 3:30pm)

During this season of preparation for the feast of the Nativity we are also urged to participate in the Mystery of Holy Reconciliation. Any time around the liturgical services, as well as by request, I am available. 

There are two Wednesday webinars this month on Dec. 15 and 22. Please note every webinar has its own link. Both webinars are seasonal and a good preparation for the celebration of the Nativity.

This prayer was composed specifically to be prayed every day during the Nativity Fast as part of our prayer rule:

O Christ our Lord and our God, You did not think equality with God something to be grasped at, but You emptied Yourself, took the form of a slave and were born in human likeness. Enlighten us as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Your holy birth. Make us worthy to see the mystery of Your becoming human for us, while remaining God in eternity. Fill our minds with understanding, that we might see You even in the least of our brothers and sisters. You have given us the gift of Your Holy Spirit, You have loved us even to the point of Your saving death and glorious resurrection, grant us also a faith that cannot be confounded, a love that does not pretend, and a wisdom that is complete. You have said, “unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven,” grant that in this feast we may again experience the rebirth we were given in baptism, that we may sing out with the angels, “glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests.” You have humbled Yourself, O Christ our God, May Your Name be exalted, together with the Name of Your eternal Father and the Name of Your all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever.

Amen.

A part of our parish celebration of the feast of the Nativity is sharing the traditional Holy Supper of Christmas Eve together. This year Holy Supper will take place at 5pm with the parish providing some of the key dishes. We ask you to sign up in the Church / Hall to bring a side dish/salad or dessert. Please also let us know (on the same sign-up sheet) how many adults and children will be coming so that we can have a general idea of how many to prepare for. We will have extra, so no worry about last minute add ons. Holy Supper is primarily a fasting meal, with fish and oil, but no meat, dairy or eggs, since Christmas Eve is a day of fasting. Hence the sweets too should be simple and not rich. This meal shared is a celebration of faith as a family. Please join us ! The Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil for Christmas Eve follows at 7pm. This event begins our celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ!

We will be greeting each other in the spirit of this holy feast and each greeting also has a response.

Christ is among us!   He is and will be!

Christ is born!      Glorify him!

May God richly bless your journey though this season of the Nativity Fast!

Fr. Elias