November 21, 2025

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

Collect for the Mass on the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King Sunday)

Brothers and Sisters,

Christ the King Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and the First Sunday of Advent. Three significant celebrations, two rooted in our Catholic identity and one in our national identity, are coming upon us in quick succession. All three are an opportunity for prayer and gratitude, directing us to God through Jesus Christ.

Christ the King Sunday marks the end of the Church’s liturgical, or worship, year. At Sunday Mass for much of 2025 we have heard from the Gospel of Luke of Jesus teaching the Lessons of Discipleship. As He journeys to Jerusalem to experience the Passion and Crucifixion for our salvation, our Lord has been telling us what it means to take up the Cross and follow Him.

Fittingly, the Gospel reading for this Christ the King Sunday is the Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:35-43). His kingship is revealed on the Cross. The repentant thief crucified next to Jesus calls out, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Our Lord replies, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”.

Such is God’s desire for each of us. Jesus through the Cross and Resurrection calls us to on-going repentance, contrition and conversion. The Divine Will is that we will enter the Kingdom of God by seeking to be faithful disciples and thus one day enter Heaven.

Our identity as disciples is to transcend everything else, race, language, nationality, politics, and the like. It is to be the identity that directs our lives and our hope of salvation.

As a national holiday, Thanksgiving Day is the most popular in American culture. Amid the traditional celebrations of family, food and football, it is tempting to overlook the origins of the holiday, having gratitude to God for all blessings in life. Offering our thanksgiving to God for the gifts of life, faith and the offer of eternal life in Christ is what we do every time the Mass is offered.

The First Sunday of Advent will take place on November 30. It begins the period of preparing to celebrate the Lord’s Nativity on Christmas Day. In contrast to the secular culture’s bright celebration of the “Holiday Season”, the tone of Advent is more subdued. Much of the focus on the Second Coming of Christ and the Day of Judgement.

In the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass during Advent we hear the Prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist calling us to awake, be aware, be ready. Do not let yourself be caught off guard to God’s saving grace that is revealed to us in the present moment and fulfilled when our Lord returns in glory.

Rite of Acceptance

This Sunday at the Noon Mass there will be twenty-two adults present who are participating in our Becoming Catholic Ministry. They are taking the next step towards being received into the Catholic Church. They will receive a blessing, known as the Rite of Acceptance, during Mass. It is an opportunity for us to pray for them as they continue their journey of faith.

Our Parish

Fr. Robert Duck will be preaching at all Masses this weekend. The pastor of St. Michael Parish in Henryetta, St. Theresa Parish in Okemah and St. Stephen in Holdenville, he will give an update of how your previous donations have been used. There will be a second collection at all the Masses to benefit these three small parishes. I will be away this weekend to offer Mass in Fr. Duck’s parishes.

Congratulations to the Burkdoll family who presented a child for baptism last Sunday.

If the parish has your current mailing address, you should soon be receiving a card with the Advent and Christmas Season. Additional copies will be available in the parish office.

Advent by Candlelight will be on Thursday, December 4 at 6pm in McGuire Hall. The guest speaker will be Noelle Garcia from the Augustine Institute. All the women of the parish are invited. Please reserve a place by signing up this weekend in the church commons.

Thanksgiving Day Schedule

Thanksgiving Day Mass will be at 9am on Thursday, November 27. Mass on Friday, November 28 will be at 6:30am and 8:30am.

The parish office will be closed on Wednesday, November 26, Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28.

The St. Scholastica Chapel will be closed starting on Noon on Wednesday, November 26. It will reopen on Monday, December 1 at 6am.

For all who are traveling elsewhere for Thanksgiving, a safe journey and allow me to wish you an early Happy Thanksgiving!

God bless and keep you safe.

Fr. Bryan