2000 Marietta (S.E. 25th) Avenue ~ Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

(954) 524-9344 ~ Fax : (954) 524-9347

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Twilight Twitches

A Spicey Meat-a-ball

msgrfetscherDear Family,
Although it technically hasn’t happened yet as I write, I am surrounded by all the activity going into preparing our annual Spaghetti Dinner, courtesy of the Men’s Club. Osteria Acqua E Farina is catering our event. I am embarrassed that I haven’t eaten there yet, a situation I suspect I will correct with dispatch. They are just north of Davie Boulevard on U.S. 1 on the west side. I don’t go that way very often... until now.

When you look at the events that are coming up in the next few months, you really understand the thought that as a seasonal parish we cram a year’s worth of activities into six months.

As many of you know through your willingness to help, it isn’t hard to get tired. Yet so many of you make “tired” secondary to community. That’s what makes all of you very special people insofar as I’m concerned. If it sounds like I’m “blowing smoke,” so be it. Maybe that’s what you call “Holy Smoke!” OK. I’ll quit now.

Ordinary

msgrfetscherDear Family,
The Thesaurus offers some 20 or so synonyms for the word ‘Ordinary.’ Nearly all of them are unexciting words. In fact, they are boring, except perhaps for one word, and that word is ‘normal.’

Today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Ordinary time is all the days between the various seasons of the year. We just finished Advent/Christmas, and we are on our way to Lent/Easter. The time in between is called ordinary.

For us believers, however, there is really nothing normal at all about this time. We just emerged from a celebration of when Jesus became one of us. Now that He has, things are very different.

The scriptures we hear this weekend sure point that out.

Isaiah: “I will make you a light to the nations.”

Ps. 40: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”

Paul to the Galatians: “...you who have been sancti¬fied in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,”

John: “...A man is coming after me... he is the Son of God.”

This Little Light of Mine

msgrfetscherDear Family,
Epiphany, literally, “a coming upon light.” The Wise Men come upon the Light. They followed the Star, the light. And lo and behold, the light of eternity is revealed to them.

The gifts they bring foreshadow the destiny of Jesus. Gold is for kings. Frankincense is for worship. Myrrh is for burial rites.

The Magi were seekers. Perhaps their intense search is the point of Matthew’s story of the Magi. Only Matthew mentions them. When you do a little bit of research, you realize why. I highly recommend that you check out an article entitled, “Can Astronomy Explain the Biblical Star of Bethlehem?” Type that question into a search box and you’ll find a very interesting article reprinted in USNEWS.

Matthew’s gospel was written primarily for the Jewish community and prophecies were important. The Magi ask around in Jerusalem, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” Herod the King felt threatened and if Herod was threatened, then all Jerusalem feared what he would do. The Holy Innocents!...

A Blessed New Year!

msgrfetscherBlessed! A Blessed 2023. That’s my prayer and my wish for all of you. What will make 2023 blessed for you? I tried to make a little list for myself just to see what it would look like. Let’s all agree we’d like world peace, which is what every Miss America pageant winner says she wants. I’m long beyond winning a beauty pageant. (In fact, there was little chance of me ever winning a beauty pageant, although I did have curly blond hair as a kid.)

My mind flirted with some building maintenance issues. Just this morning Patricio found a patch of water in my backyard we can’t explain.

But stuff like that didn’t even really come close to making my “list.” Pretty quickly, my mind went to people. I’m thinking of the friends I have that are very important to me and help me maintain a sense of humor as well as balance in my life. Keeping them and developing them in the coming year definitely tops my list. Part and parcel of that wish is knowing that it will only be with God’s Spirit prompting me, that I’ll be able to treat them with care, and have gratitude for them throughout the year.

In fact, I just made a phone call to one and received one as well. The one I received was from Father Bill Mason, OMI, who is retired now. You’ll never guess where, an Oblate parish in Buffalo. They never lost power during the storm even though they have a huge pile of snow in front of their garage. Fortunately, two days after Christmas, he could walk across the street to a food market that finally was able to open.

Saturday 5 pm
(Sunday Vigil)
Sunday 8:30 am, 11 am
and 6:00 pm
Weekdays 8:30 am
(Mon. through Fri.)
Holy Days
(Schedule varies)

twitches

twitches

 


SAINT SEBASTIAN CHURCH

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2000 Marietta (S.E. 25th) Avenue ~ Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Parish Office : (954) 524-9344 ~Fax : (954) 524-9347
E-Mail : info@stsebastianfl.org 


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