What if C.S. Lewis wrote like Lincoln? A creative essay by Frank Miller

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What if C. S. Lewis wrote like Lincoln?

by Frank Miller

 

Ninety-nine score and ten years ago our Father brought forth into this world the Incarnation, conceived in love, and dedicated to the proposition that all men were created to be in union with Him.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether His people or, or any people, so conceived and so loved, can return to their Creator. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of our time each week, in memory of Him who gave His life as a man that all peoples might live forever with Him. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we do not dedicate, we do not consecrate, we do not hallow this ground. The Son, once living, then dead and who rose and lives again has consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract anything. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say, but it can never forget what He did. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which He had thus far so nobly founded.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from the One who was and who is and will be forever, we take increased devotion to that cause for which He gave the last full measure of fulfilling God’s Will —that we here highly resolve that His sacrifice and gift of eternal life shall not be in vain—that this world, under God, shall have a new birth of eternal freedom—and His Church imbued with the Holy Spirit, to house the Body of Christ for the glory of God the Father, shall not perish from the earth and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

 

Frank Miller is a husband, father, and grandfather of five beautiful grandchildren and a long-time parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle. Over the years Frank has been active in many ministries. Currently, Frank is the director of our Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and a lector.  Frank has several essays published on www.Medium.com as Francis Miller.  

2023 Advent and Christmas: Mass Schedule and Special Events

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Advent Confessions will be heard on the following Saturdays at 1:00pm: 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23, and Monday, 12/18 at 7:00pm.

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Friday, December 8th will have masses at 9:00am, 11:30am, and 7:00pm.

Our Annual Christmas Concert featuring the Music Ministry and the Bloomfield Civic Band will be on Saturday, December 9th at 7:00pm.

Simbang Gabi returns to the parish after a several-year pause on Friday, December 15th at 7:00pm.

Our Annual Christmas Pageant will be held Sunday, December 17th at 1:30pm.

Sunday, December 24th will have 8:00am and 10:00am mass. There will be NO 12:00pm mass.

Christmas Eve Masses on Sunday, December 24th will be held at 4:00pm [Children's Choir], 6:00pm, and 10:00pm [Adult Choir]. 

Christmas Day Masses on Monday, December 25th will be held at 8:00am, 10:00am, and 12:00pm.

From Beyond Cornerstone: Thank you for your Thanksgiving Turkey Donations!

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The Beyond Cornerstone Ministry turkey collection was a big success! Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners, sixty three turkeys and three hams were delivered to the soup kitchen to be distributed to families in need. We also provided a van full of clothes and a van full of water.

Bloomfield UNICO provided us with a van full of food for the soup kitchen. This was twice as much as last year.

Our St. Thomas parishioners and the shoppers at Bloomfield Shoprite are to be commended for their spectacular generosity of giving.

Our next planning meeting will be Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 at 7PM in the Parish Center. All interested in this Ministry are welcome.

Fr. Larry Recommends: "The Veil Removed" A Short Film

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The Veil Removed is a short film that reveals the coming together of heaven and earth at Mass, as seen by saints and mystics, revealed by scripture and in the catechism of the Catholic Church.

Please click the button below to be taken to the video.

Watch the veil removed

Help Needed with Christmas Decoration Setup

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Helpers are needed to set up our exquisite Christmas decorations! It’s that time of year to enjoy all the Christmas season brings, including beautiful lights, trees, and flowers. It can’t be done without the effort of volunteers every year. Please consider giving of your time to help make it possible.

Setup will commence at church on Saturday, December 16th at 9am. To get involved, please call or email Dan at (973) 216-7639 or dbitecola@gmail.com.

Are you unavailable or not able-bodied, but wanting to help? Please consider a donation to help offset the cost. Click here to make an online donation, or leave your donation in the basket at mass labeled “Christmas Decorations”.

Thank you for your generosity of time, talent, and treasure!

Deacon Tom's Homily for Sunday, November 19th; 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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OPEN OUR HEARTS, LORD, HELP US to love like You. Open our hearts, Lord, help us to love.

GOD IS LOVE – TOTAL, SELF-GIVING Love!

WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE God-on-the-Cross pouring Himself out totally…for us. Jesus holds nothing back.

HIS HEART IS PIERCED; IT IS completely open. He gives every drop of blood, every inch of Himself for us.

TODAY, WE PRAY FOR A HEART LIKE Jesus’ heart - the natural heart we once had a long time ago, before we first sinned.

JESUS-ON-THE-CROSS IS THE blueprint for our daily life. He tells us: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

WE EMULATE HIM BY POURING ourselves out for others.

THE GRACES, THE BLESSINGS THAT we receive, we, in turn, pour out on those around us – beginning with our family and friends.

WE SHOWER HIS COMPASSION EVEN on the stranger in the Shop-Rite who blocks our way with his cart and on the jay-walker who deliberately crosses right in front of our approaching car.

JESUS COMMANDS US: “BE compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate.” The forgiveness God is showing us, we are to show to those who hurt us.

LIKE THE WORTHY WIFE IN TODAY’S first reading, we reach out our hands to the poor; we extend our arms to the needy.

EACH DAY, THE PATIENCE AND THE love God is pouring out on us, we pour out on everyone we encounter.

ONE DAY, OUR MASTER WILL return. He will require an accounting from each of us of all the gifts He has poured out on us – the forgiveness, His compassion, the patience, and all the love,

ARE WE PAYING THEM FORWARD? Are we giving His gifts with an open heart to those around us?

OR ARE WE HOARDING THEM, keeping them to ourselves? Are we ignoring His gifts, burying them in the ground?

SO TODAY, WE PRAY: OPEN OUR hearts, Lord, help us to love like You. Open our hearts, Lord, help us to love.