29 NovembeR 2024
Some weeks are particularly meaningful when it comes to the daily celebration of the mass. Tuesday was an open day in the calendar - a day without the celebration of a saint. The mass was designated a requiem for the war dead, as conflicts grind on in Ukraine and the Middle East.
On Wednesday we prayed a Votive Mass of Thanksgiving, being the eve of the public holiday. Yesterday, November 28, was the Feast of the Holy Sovereigns for the Episcopal Church. We celebrated with solemnity the sainthood of Emma and Kamehameha IV this past Sunday, so yesterday was a simple Low Mass. Today is the Vigil of St. Andrew the Apostle, and tomorrow is the feast of this blessed saint who brought Peter to Jesus. The week has been a stream of riches.
I am grateful that the mass is celebrated daily at St. Mark’s. Each day’s occasion or saint adds meaning to this life, and when joys happen or tragedies strike, we have a sacred system for responding. When someone dies, we are ready to pray for their soul. When there is a birth, and someone becomes a parent, or as in the case this past week, a great-grandmother, we are ready to offer thanks. When a couple becomes pregnant, we are ready to pray for the safety of the growing family. When someone is undergoing cancer treatment, we pray for their strength and health.
This coming Sunday commences a new year for the church. I encourage you, as we embark on a fresh year of grace, to make a habit of enjoying the daily mass at St. Mark’s. Whether in sorrow or joy, make your pilgrimage to the church and concelebrate the mass with the priest and your fellow parishioners. Bring your intention and unite your prayer with the holy sacrifice of the mass. Hawai‘i and the nation celebrated Thanksgiving Day yesterday, but in the church every day is a day of thanksgiving, for every day the mass is celebrated and God is praised.
Blessings to you and your loved ones this Advent.
Father Paul Lillie +
