Dear Family,
The feast is a week away and this has been an interesting time for me. For one thing, thanks to Father Tom Boyer, we’ve been pondering the idea that, “Advent is not a season; it is a way of life.” The adventure of living a life of expectation brings a joyful perspective of freshness to living ...even when you have passed the mid-way mark of your life. (Okay. Don’t get technical... maybe I’m a little more than half-way.) I’m not sure how the attitude I have here from day-to-day shapes my eter¬nal future but I have a strong feeling that is not just deeds that shape our future, but attitudes as well.

You’ve also heard me asking how does the gospel help us deal with the socio-political-cultural chasm we seem to find ourselves in. Some observe those divisions have been there a long time and only in the present unique circumstances do they tend to emerge. You’ve got to wonder where these demons are coming from. However... whatever... I’d like to feel a little better about things. I had the happy discovery of reruns of the Dick Van Dyke show that have been ‘colorized.’ Thank you, CBS. I think, though, we are going to have to do a little bit better than colorization.

Dear Family,
Just “because we’ve always done it this way” is one of those phrases that’s been used to end conversations and drive people nuts. I “always” write a Twitch.

I just came from St. Thomas Aquinas high school where the students were taking advantage of having priests come for the sacrament of Reconciliation. The kids I met were really impressive.

I knew I had to get home asap because I had not written this letter and the deadline comes at noon, (ten minutes from now.) My mind has been a blank for two days.

Dear Family,
I’m looking forward to the NOVA SINGERS who will grace OUR SANCTUARY on Tuesday night. If you haven’t gotten your ticket(s) yet you can probably do so this weekend. But the $15 ticket goes to $20 at the door on Tuesday. It’s one of the nicest outside ‘visitations’ we have during the year and you won’t be disappointed in the quality of the program.

I will be personally happy to have their rejuvenating musical gifts. As I write I’ve just had the news that a wonderful woman, Evelyn McInerney, has died and gone to the Lord. When I was first named a pastor in 1982, Evelyn was my first secretary, hand-holder (always in the presence of her husband Deacon Vince), mother-advisor and fan club president, at least most of the time. I’m sure there were days when I tried her patience.

Dear Family,
Happy Advent. I hope your Thanksgiving Day was a blast. Since I must write this letter early, I don’t know how my Thanksgiving was. (You know there is a Twitch in here somewhere...)

I know I am expecting to celebrate the Eucharist with you and I am hoping that the liturgy will be as nice as it always is. I’ll cook a little. Lengthy kitchen time has been a little harder over this past eight months, but it’s a great recreation for me.

Anticipating my Thanksgiving seems like a great example of exactly what it’s like to be on our walk to heaven. I know where I’m going, but I’m not quite sure what the journey is going to be like – even after 75 years. In fact, I think I know less now that I did when I was a ‘callow youth.” My knowing is not the same as my hoping, and my hoping is much bigger than it ever has been.