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“Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for Your people Israel."

~ The Canticle of Simeon, Luke 2: 29-32 ~

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  The Canticle of Simeon, cited above, concludes the Church's Liturgy of the Hours every night, so that those who pray it, though ending the day in physical darkness, boldly proclaim the dawning Light of salvation among us in Christ Jesus. It is a defiant proclamation against the darkness of sin and death, for now death's reign has ended, and Christ's reign is begun. All the ancient hopes of the human race are given voice in the old Simeon's words of jubilant praise as he holds the Light of Salvation and the Word of Promise made Flesh in his arms.

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  Throughout the Advent season, we prepared our hearts anew for the coming of our Savior, orienting our bodies and souls liturgically and prayerfully toward the LIGHT that is rising in the world. We celebrated His arrival in the flesh during our Christmas liturgies, inaugurating the Christmas season that will continue for forty days through January toward the Feast of the Presentation on February 2nd, when the Light of God returns to illuminate the darkness of the Temple in Jerusalem with His presence. On that day, the words of Simeon will be proclaimed in Matthew's gospel as we bless and light candles for use in our church and our homes through the coming year. Until then, while the rest of the world removes its signs of Christmas and returns to darkness, the festive decorations and lights at Immaculate Conception will remain in these winter weeks as a sign of our enduring Christmas joy and in anticipation of the fulfillment of our Christmas hope when He Who has died and risen from the dead returns to us in glory!​

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Gathered together by the Holy Spirit, let us proceed

to the house of God to encounter the Christ Child!

There we shall find Him in the breaking of the bread,

until He comes again, revealed in glory!

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Oremvs Pro Invicem!

Father Albert Beltz, KHS, Pastor​​