Life-teen update (12-10-2006)

Greetings and salutations to one and all! As we bravely embark on our journey into the second week of Advent I wish to impart a small piece of wisdom that I have learned. Gaudete Sunday (the third Sunday in Advent) does not translate into English as “Pink Sunday.” To continually refer to it as pink Sunday will, in fact, irritate some priests to the point of causing them to say uncharitable things to you, or so I hear. Gaudete, as we discussed at our life night last week means rejoice. Our entrance antiphon on this Sunday would be “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice! The Lord is near.” There are many things for us to rejoice about and prepare for during this Advent season (Christmas season still hasn’t started). For example this week I prepared to go make my weekly visit to see all of you up at the high school. However, my partner in crime/evangelization, Juan Godina, was not available to come up with me. He got a letter from the bishop summoning him to Yakima to participate in a series of talks on how to be a priest and left me out to dry without any kind of transportation. For those of you who are unaware, my car has been giving me a large quantity of trouble recently and I have chosen to walk everywhere rather than argue with it. Thus I owe all of you an apology for not coming over to the high school this week like I promised. On the bright side I should have my car up and running by next week, so please just save your enthusiasm and we will overpower the cafeteria with our joy and reckless abandon for Christ next week. Remember, it is Advent, and Advent is all about waiting, sacrifice, and penance. In addition to being forced to wait a bit longer for me to return to the high school, we are also waiting for our Advent/Christmas party, which will be held on December 19, so mark it on your calendars. This is on a Tuesday night, but since you don’t have any school I though it would be a great opportunity to stay out late and have a party. We will have all kinds of food, fun, and festivities to celebrate the upcoming birthday of Christ. All high schoolers are invited to attend no matter which youth group you normally go to, or even if you don’t come to youth group at all. You are also invited and encouraged to bring any friends who may want to join us in for our festive gathering. All that being said, I want to remind you all that you are in my prayers in a special way during this Advent season, and I hope that I am in yours as well. God bless and I will see you all at Life-teen.