Pastor's Letter

“What Should We Do?” Luke 3:10

An Advent Communal Reconciliation Service   Tuesday, 7:00 PM December 18 St. Matthew Church 1001 E. Schaumburg Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60194

In the gospel today, the crowds are reacting to John the Baptist’s message about the one who is coming: the Messiah, who is the anointed one, the Christ.  In great eagerness they ask, “What should we do?”
 
John responds by anchoring us back to the basics. To get ready for Christ—which is getting ready for Christmas, a life with Christ—he tells us do the right thing.  Tell the truth.  Be honest in our business practices.  Treat others fairly.  And, if we’re able to share some of what we have to help someone with basic needs, take the time to do it.  As he puts it, if you have two cloaks, give one to someone who needs one.
 

2019 Calendars   We’re grateful to Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Home for the gift of the 2019 Calendars that were blessed last week.  Calendars are still available by the doors and in the parish office.

The St. Hubert community takes that to heart.  For decades, this community has been known for the generous ways we help those with basic
needs and those less fortunate then ourselves.
 
The greatest example of this at Christmastime is the Giving Tree.  We’re helping individuals and families who can’t afford Christmas presents to receive a present this Christmas day.  We are doing this for people of all ages, and not just for families in our own villages, but for those in need at St. Aloysius, our sharing parish.
 
The response to this effort, year after year, has been tremendous.  In fact, we’re running out of gift tags faster and faster.  Because so many here want to help, we need to continue to reach out to other organizations to see if we can lend a hand.  Here, the desire to help our brothers and sisters is a gospel imperative that comes to life.
 
Our monthly food drives continue to help stock the shelves of Church of the Holy Spirit and St. Marceline food pantries and also helps families in the area who are hungry.  We continue to be a major source of food donations, month after month.
 

Swing with the Kings!   Join us on for a free concert courtesy of Night Express   Sunday, January 6 2:00—3:30 PM in the church

Even our students at St. Hubert School and those in our Religious Ed. programs routinely make the effort to do something to help those in need.
 
John the Baptist reminds us that it doesn’t take a lot to have a heart ready for Christ.  It takes a heart ready to treat others the way we want to be treated—with respect, dignity, fairness, and compassion for those in need of basic things.
 
What should we do?  We should keep doing the needful things that we’re doing.  We are a generous community that builds others up.  We are the Body of Christ in our little corner of the world. 
 
Rejoice—Christmas is getting close!
 

—Fr. Mike