3. ADVENTNA NEDELJA 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SLOVENSKA ŽUPNIJA SV. GREGORIJA VELIKEGA | ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SLOVENIAN CHURCH 51/53 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 17. 12. 2017 Fr. Drago Gačnik, SDB ŽUPNIK - PASTOR NASLOV - ADDRESS 125 Centennial Pkwy N Hamilton, ON L8E 1H8 TEL.: 905-561-5971 FAX: 905-561-5109 E-MAIL gregory_sdb@ stgregoryhamilton.ca WEB PAGE www.carantha.com HALL RENTALS CELL: 905-518-6159 E-MAIL hallrental@ stgregoryhamilton.ca VESTNIK »Veseli in raduj se iz vsega srca ...« (Sofonija 3.14) Veselje, značilnost tretje adventne nedelje, prihaja iz oznanila »dobre novice«. S to besedo se konča današnji odlomek poročila o Janezovem klicu k spreobrnjenju. Veselje nas prevzame, ko stopimo na pot spreobrnjenja, na pot srečanja z Bogom, ki prihaja. Janezovo oznanilo se je pričelo s sporočilom o prihodu Božjega kraljestva in s povabilom k spreobrnjenju. Ko pa so ga ljudje spraševali, je dajal zelo stvarne odgovore, ki veljajo za vse čase in za vse ljudi: »Kdor ima dve suknji, naj ju deli s tistim, ki nima nobene, in kdor ima živež, naj stori enako.« Kdor se je iskreno spokoril, vedno postavi vprašanje: »Kaj naj torej storim?« Podobno vprašanje je izzval Peter na binkoštni dan: »Kaj naj storimo?« K Janezu so prihajali raznovrstni ljudje, celo cestninarji in vojaki. Toda odgovor na vprašanje je vselej vodil k bližnjemu. Potrebna so dela, iz kate-rih odsevata spremenjeno življenje in resna pokora. Dela iskrene ljubezni do bližnjega. Danes pogosto srečamo ljudi, ki »niso verni kot drugi«. Tako pravijo o sebi, a so pripravljeni stvari deliti s potrebnim, odprti so za dela solidarnosti. Ti ljudje so gotovo blizu, zelo blizu Božjemu kraljestvu. Janez Krstnik, Kristusov predhodnik, v polnem pomenu besede zasluži ta naziv. Ni le pripravil pot in pokazal na Jagnje božje. Njegov nauk vodi v tisto bistvo, ki ga bo Mesija razkril kot jedro novega oznanila: ljubezen do bližnjega. Torej bližnji, brat, ki gre mimo, postane izredna možnost zame: pot do Boga. »Kaj naj storimo?« To vprašanje gre tudi skozi našo misel, ko želimo začeti novo življenje. »Ljubi,« nam ponavlja Janez Krstnik. »Ljubi,« potrdi tudi Jezus. In če kdo utegne pomisliti, da je to pretežko v našem svetu in v našem času, naj se spomni matere Terezije. Odkar je ona šla mi-mo nas, nimamo pravice trditi tega. Ni imela ničesar. Imela je le srce, veliko, kot so potrebe tega sveta. In začela je tam, v Kalkuti, s prvim siromakom, ki ga je srečala. Takšnih, ko je mati Terezija, morda neznanih očem tega sveta, je veliko. Zaradi njih svet ni izgubil upanja, zaradi njih postaja boljši. 542 | VESTNIK 2017 544 | VESTNIK 2017 546 | VESTNIK 2017 548 | VESTNIK 2017 VESTNIK 2017 | 543 VESTNIK 2017 | 545 VESTNIK 2017 | 547 DRUŠTVO BLED - SANTA V nedeljo, 10. decembra se je pri dtušvu Bled dvorana dodobra napolnila z gosti za predbožično praznovanje; veliko je prišlo tudi mlajših družin z otroci. Otroški živžav je znak, da imamo Slovenci prihodnost tu v Kanadi. Prav za te zadnje, kosilo ni bil glavni razlog, da so prišli ampak vsi so čakali, da jih obišče Santa; kar se je po kosilu tudi zgodilo. V kuhinji so pripravili dobro slovensko kosilo, mladi so postregli na mize, potem pa je Silvia Stankovič (Gimpelj) - tako ko zna le ona - organizirala razne izgre za otroke, da so lažje čakali in se vmes še zabavali. Za začetek programa je Karina zapela pesem »Mary Did You Know«, Luka jo je spremljal na kitaro, Silvia pa na električne orgle, piko na »i« je dodala še violinistka Leanna Uccello z nekaj solo skladbani - vsi otroci so potem skupaj zapeli še nekaj znanih angleških božičnih pesmi. Na koncu je prišel še Santa in vse otroke tudi obdaroval. Hvala vsem, ki so pomagali pri organizaciji dogodka. Upamo, da jih bo še veliko tudi v prihodnje. 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Response: My soul shall exult in my God. First Reading Isaiah 61:1-2. 10-11 The prophet speaks in the person of Christ, the anointed one of the Spirit. Later Jesus applies this verse to himself. Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Paul prays that the whole of our being, spirit, soul and body, may be healed and saved. Gospel John 1:6-8. 19-28 John the Baptist testifies to the divinity of Christ, describing himself as the one who makes way for “the Lord”. “He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light.” Illustration There are both positive and negative aspects to the idea of mediation, or being an intermediary. Me-diation can help two bitterly opposed sides begin to communicate, whether it be in a marriage, a dam-aged friendship, or in international relations. Media-tors can operate in the school playground, to pass on the message that A wants to go out with B. Shuttle diplomacy can be used to prevent wars or arrange treaties. One of the titles of the Pope is “Pontiff”, from the Latin pontifex, or bridge builder. This refers both to the Pope’s spiritual intermediary role, and his an-cient function of looking after the fabric of Rome. To be a bridge builder is usually seen as a positive func-tion. However, there can also be a downside. Inter-mediaries get blamed by both sides when things go wrong; if things go right they get none of the credit. The French novelist Flaubert wrote, “There are some men whose only mission among others is to act as intermediaries; one crosses them like bridges and keeps going.” He did not mean it as a compliment. In business, it is often seen as advantageous to “cut out the middle man”. A rather cruder way of putting it in English is, “I want to speak to the organ grinder, not the monkey.” In Advent, however, we celebrate John the Baptist as a mediator. John is in some ways the most famous middle man in history. Gospel Teaching In sacred history the role of the intermediary is generally positive. Abraham and Moses are shown as interceding on behalf of the people. The proph-ets classically act as middle men, delivering God’s message to the people, and speaking on behalf of the people to God. In Exodus, God institutes the Aaronic priesthood to act as a permanent body of intermediaries, and the liturgy itself is a way of me-diating God’s holiness. These two great roles, the prophetic and the priestly, are brought together in John the Baptist. He behaves as one of the classical prophets. That is why he is asked if he is Elijah, or “the Prophet”. But he is also one of the last genera-tions of the Aaronic priesthood, his father being Zechariah, a priest, and the priesthood being hered-itary. So John is a complex figure, with a complex message. One of the reasons his message is complex is because he is announcing someone who is both yet another intermediary, and who is also the other par-ty, so to speak, in the relationship. Christ is both fully human, so he can be our intermediary, and he is fully divine, the one who receives the intercession. John speaks about these two aspects of Jesus symbolically. Jesus’ humanity is represented by the sandal-strap that John speaks of. Jesus fully takes on our humanity, right down to the soles of his feet. But he also stands among them as one “unknown to you”. This stands for the complete otherness of his divinity. Application It is by contemplating these two aspects of Christ’s identity that we get to know who he is. As God, he is utterly beyond comprehension, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, who alone is immortal and dwells in inaccessible light. As fully human, Jesus is also one of us, through whom we have access to the Father. As St Thomas Aquinas puts it, it is through the sacred humanity of Jesus that we come to his divinity. So Christ is himself the ultimate intermedi-ary, who joins in himself the two parties in the rela-tionship. He is the unique high priest who offers us to God; and, as God, the one who also receives what he offers. By sharing in our humanity, Jesus experienced himself all the joys and sorrows of human life. He fully participated in the love that humanity is capable of, and suffered the evil that distorts it. As the letter to the Hebrews puts it, “For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin.” Through the sacraments, Jesus continues his intermediary role in physical, tangible ways. Through our own baptism, we share in the intercessory priest-hood of Christ, so that we can mediate God’s compas-sion and healing to the world. We ourselves become intermediaries, not through our own deserving, but by being raised up to share in the ultimate mediation of Jesus. Hvlala Maksu in Mileni PAVLIČ za tri smreke, ki sta jih zopet darovala za cerkev. Maks je smreke posekal, jih pripeljal in potem sta jih z Mirkom postavila na mesto. OBVESTILA - ANNOUNCEMENTS PEVSKE VAJE ZA MEŠANI ZBOR V četrtek, 21. decembra, so pevske vaje za mešani pevski zbor. Zbor se pripravlja za božični čas. DOGODKI V BLIŽNJI PRIHODNOSTI . 17. december: Slovenski park - Santa Claus . 17. december: Sava - Maša at noon, Dinner, Christmas celebration, Miklavž . 17. december: London - Mass 4:00 p.m. at St. John the Divine Church, social after . 19. december: Tuesday - St. Joseph Society - Društvo sv. Jožefa - Christmas Party & Dinner . 24. december: St. Gregory the Great: Masses: 10:00 a.m., Christmas Eve: 6:00 p.m. (English), 10:00 p.m. (Slovenian) . 26. december: Lipa park - Mass at 3:00 p.m. . 31. december: St. Gregory the Great, Lipa park, Sava, Triglav - Silvestrovanje GIFT BEARERS - DAROVE PRINAŠAJO . 17. dec., 9:30 a.m.: Ignac & Teresa Kolenko . 24. dec., 10:00 a.m.: Raduha Family . 25. dec., 9:30 a.m.: Lojze in Peter Grebenc . 31. dec., 9:30 a.m.: Toni in Marija Franc CHRISTMAS EVE PAGEANT Next practice for Christmas Eve pageant-Sunday (December 24th at 6:00 p.m. Mass.) will take place on Saturday, December 23, at 9:00 a.m. Please contact Mary Miklavčič @ 905-664-4927 (mtmik@sympatico.ca) or Sonya Podreb-arac at 905-902-6311 for any further infor-mation. DAROVI - DONATIONS Za gradbeni sklad »Raise the Roof« darovali: - $100 Družina Kuzma - $100 Stanko in Jožica Vegelj Za misijone sta Stanko in Jožica Vegelj darovala $100. Iskrena hvala za vaše darove in Bog vam povrni. NEW YEAR'S EVE AT ST. GREGORY THE GREAT New Year's is only two weeks away and tickets are already being sold quite quickly. To reserve your table, please contact Heidy Novak at 905-317-6002 to make arrangements. Also we are looking for VOLUNTEERS to help out with planning, and the actual evening. So if you are able to lend a hand, please contact Heidy and let's do what we can together to Ring in 2018 with style. COOKING SESSION - FEBRUARY 24, 2018 Kitchen Secrets is hosting another day in the kitchen on Saturday, February 24th at 9:00 a.m. (Lower Hall). This session will feature the creation of kremšnite. There is limited space in this session and spots will be available on a first come first serve basis only. Please contact Heidy Novak at novakh@sympatico.ca if you would like to participate in this baking event. Looking forward to hanging out with friends in the kitchen! KOLEDARJI, LETNE KUVERTE ZA 2018 Koledarje - slovenske ali angleške - in nedeljske kuverte za leto 2018, si vzemite v veži. Od lani jih več ne pošiljamo po pošti. Prav tako imate v atriju letne kuverte za 2018. Če se vam zdi, da je kakšna napaka ali da ste spremenili naslov ali telefon, prosim, da to sporočite. Prav tako, če bi kdo želel imeti kuverte, pa jih ni tam, mi sporočite. OGNJIŠČE ZA LETO 2018 Prosimo, če čimprej sporočite, kdo bo naročnik za Ognjišče za leto 2018, tako da še pravočasno sporočimo v Slovenijo, da nam bodo poslali dovoljšnje število izvodov. Naročnina za leto 2018 je 83 CAD. CWL - KŽZ Our CWL wishes our parshioners and Slovenian community the blessings of the Christmas season and a happy new year! Blagoslovljene božične praznike in srečno novo leto! CWL membership renewal is currently underway. Members, note that a CWL envelope has been inserted into your 2018 Sunday collection box. Kindly renew your membership with either Pamela Gosgnach or Milena Krušič or place your membership envelope with remittance in the collection basket at mass. New members are also most welcome. Our next scheduled CWL meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 10th, 2018. SVETE MAŠE - MASS TIMES: Monday: 8:00 A.M., Tuesday to Friday: 7:00 P.M., Saturday: 8:00 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. (Slovenian); Sunday: 9:30 A.M. (Slovenian), 11:00 A.M. (English); From Long weekend in July to the Long weekend of the September Sunday Mass is only at 10:00 A.M. (Slovenian-English) - KRSTI / BAPTISMS: For an appointment, call one month before. POROKE / MARRIAGE: For an appointment, call one year before the wedding date. SPOVED / CONFESSIONS: First Friday of the month 6 -7:00 P.M. (or by appointment) BOLNIKI - Sporočite, če je kdo bolan ali v bolnišnici, da ga obiščemo. You are welcome to call for a personal conversation with your priest – please call for an appointment. Tel: 905-561-5971. DON BOSCO SLOVENSKA ŠOLA V HAMILTONU V soboto, 16. decembra smo se z otroci Slovenske šole najprej zbrali pri sveti maši in veselo tudi zapeli. Po maši so otroci okrasili smreko v atriju - okraske so pripravili že prejšnjo soboto. Potem so nadaljevali praznovanje in pripravo na božično praznovanje. Nekateri so se nato še priključili vajam za kratek program, ki bo pri angleški maši na božični večer. 3. ADVENTNA NEDELJA 17. DECEMBER Lazar, sp. mož †† † †† †† Za žive in rajne župljane Pokojni Kobe in Radovičevič Štefan Gerič Pokojni člani društva Sava Pokojni člani društva Triglav 9:30 A.M. 11:00 A.M. NOON 4:00 P.M. Angela Kobe Rose Gerič Sava-Breslau Triglav-St. John the Divine PONEDELJEK - MONDAY 18. DECEMBER Teotim, mučenec Po namenu 8:00 A.M. N.N. TOREK - TUESDAY 19. DECEMBER Urban III., papež †† Pokojni iz družine Vehovec Po namenu 7:00 P.M. Slava Gomboša z družino Ana Tadič SREDA - WEDNESDAY 20. DECEMBER Evgen, mučenec † † † † Zdravko Troha Franc Raduha Franc Raduha Elizabeta Gerič 7:00 P.M. Danica Maradin Franc in Ana Ferenčak Jože in Albina Antolin Franc in Ana Ferenčak ČETRTEK - THURSDAY 21. DECEMBER Peter Kanizij, duh-uč. † † †† Stane Udovč Heidy Wagner Ignac in Marija, Jožef, Marta Sarjaš 7:00 P.M. Žena Magda z družino Družina Pinter Ignac Sarjaš z družino PETEK - FRIDAY 22. DECEMBER Frančiška Cabrini, red. †† Ivan in Luisa Sarjaš 7:00 P.M. Sin z družino SOBOTA SATURDAY 23. DECEMBER Janez Kancij, duhovnik †† † † †† †† † † Pokojni Borštnik Janez Recek Martina Kolar Pokojni iz družine Simončič Pokojni iz družine Gerič Marija Hauznar, obl. Ignac Žalik 8:00 A.M. 5:30 P.M. Družina Žena Jožica z družino Mož Kathy in Martin Simončič Kathy in Martin Simončič Sestra Ana Petek Veronika Čurič 4. ADVENTNA NEDELJA 24. DECEMBER SVETI VEČER CHRISTMAS EVE † † † †† †† Za žive in rajne župljane Franc Raduha Janez Kološa Florian Miklavčič Pokojni iz družine Zorčič Pokojni iz družin Ferletič in Zorko 10:00 A.M. 6:00 P.M. 10:00 P.M. Slomškovo oltarno društvo Hči Majda Kološa Družina Miklavčič Jožica in Ivan Vegelj Milan in Sandy Ferletič SVETE MAŠE - MASSES Od 17. 12. 2017 do 24. 12. 2017