Resurrection Magazine Christmas 2021 Vol 2:3

| LANSING, MICHIGAN THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION

RE SU RRE C TI O N MA G AZINE CHRISTMAS 2021 VOL 2:3

IN THIS ISSUE

WITHOUT COST YOU HAVE RECEIVED

ONE COUPLE SHARES THEIR STORY OF RECEIVING LOVE AND GIVING IT AWAY

UNTO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD Moe r gnuoy esmgvnlitsrmoaeh c a e fil fo

PREPARING A PLACE FOR WORSHIP Juroin Saylsunfahertvis frcuo t a e rg Hi “ hg Pr”t sei ygbn t epsu ro f Ma.s

RESURRECTION MAGAZINE CHRISTMAS 2021 VOL 2:3 PASTOR FR. STEVE MATTSON EDITOR SEAN O'NEILL MANAGING EDITOR BEN POHL ART DIRECTOR SARAH FINK

IN THIS

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Located in the heart of the city of Lansing, the Church of the Resurrection exists to help everyone in our parish family live in the light and hope of the resurrection.

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ISSUE

A MARVELOUS EXCHANGE FR. STEVE MATTSON

ACCOMPANYING STUDENTS FR. JOE CAMPBELL

UNTO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD BRIAN FINK

PREPARING A PLACE FOR WORSHIP SR. MARY GABRIEL, O.P.

COFFEE & DONUTS BEN POHL

GROWING IN HOLINESS THROUGH STUDY CRAIG GALER

CAN WE PRAY FOR YOU? DAN DOWSETT

WITHOUT COST YOU HAVE RECEIVED & UPDATE: THE FOUNTAINS BEN POHL

CELEBRATING THE TWELVE DAYS ELIZABETH HANSEN

WE COME TO ADORE | AN ART MEDITATION

MARY GATES

ODE TO THE INCARNATION | A POEM LUKE HANSEN

Welcome to Resurrection Magazine!

We have created this magazine to bear witness to what the Lord is doing in our midst. Our Risen Lord is blessing us richly, and we want to take this opportunity to share some of those blessings with you. Read and learn more about our parish and our rich Catholic faith! Please visit our website to read our past issues.

ON THE COVER Charles Le Brun's Adoration of the Shepherds (1689), oil on canvas. For a meditation on the painting, see page 15.

FROM THE

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EDITOR

Merry Christmas to all of our readers! It’s so inspiring that, even in the turbulent and difficult times in which we find ourselves, the season of Christmas reminds us that God is not daunted by humankind’s sinfulness and failings. He comes to us, not in vengeance with raging wind or fire or earthquake, but in the still, small voice of a little child.

Fr. Steve, our pastor, welcomes this season with joy and hope in his article on page 4 and reiterates that the Incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus are, as J.R.R. Tolkien pointed out to C.S. Lewis, a grand myth that happens to be true.

On page 14, Liz Hansen reminds us that the season of Christmas doesn’t start with Advent. In fact, the season lasts for twelve whole days from Christmas Day onwards and Liz offers us some excellent suggestions for how to celebrate the full twelve days. On that theme, the parish has organized a “Twelfth Night Celebration” on January 8 with songs, tunes, and poems to add to the festivities.

We hear, on page 5, how Fr. Joseph Campbell, the new chaplain at Lansing Catholic High School, is ministering to the students he meets on a daily basis. He stresses that the most significant aspect of his work is being available to students and giving them the opportunity to encounter the person of Jesus Christ. That encounter, he hopes and prays, will remain with those students for the rest of their lives and help them lead others to know the Lord

in a significant way. On pages 6 and 7, Brian Fink and Sister Mary Gabriel describe the important service provided by the boys and girls of the parish as altar servers and junior sacristans, respectively. And we return to The Saint Vincent de Paul Society in an article on page 11, where Dan Dowsett gives us an insight into this crucial ministry and how the Vincentians are serving the most needy in our midst, not just materially but spiritually through prayer.

We’ve also included a game in this issue called “Spot Yourself At Coffee & Donuts” on page 8-9!

The parish’s sense of community also became palpable for Marcus and Adrienne Wells (see pages 12-13), when they found themselves with housing difficulties. Just when things seemed the bleakest, God stepped in, in the form of the generosity and love of our parish family, and after a long and painful journey they found a home that was just right for them.

Our parish formation program began this year with an outstanding course given

by Dr. John Yocum, called “Spiritual Growth Through Study.”

On page 10, Craig Galer outlines the contents of the course.

On page 15, once again Mary Gates provides a thoughtful meditation on the theme of the cover art and on the back cover we have a striking sonnet from Luke Hansen which sums up, in only 14 lines, the mystery of the Incarnation.

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FR. STEVE MATTSON

A MARVELOUS EXCHANGE

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FR. STEVE DIVES INTO THE MYSTERY OF THE “MYTH BECOME FACT”

very December 25, united with Christians everywhere, we celebrate the Nativity of Jesus, whom as Christians we profess to be God in the flesh. We take this truth for granted, but over centuries of prayerful debate, the Church wrestled with how to understand the mystery of the Incarnation. Today, as whenever we pray the Nicene Creed, we profess what has been handed on to us through sacred tradition: I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

This is the mystery we are invited to marvel at each Christmas. God became man! It’s the stuff of myths. It seems too fantastic to be true. But something J.R.R. Tolkien once famously told his good friend, C.S. Lewis, this myth became fact.

Of course, Tolkien was talking about the entire life, death, and resurrection of Our Lord. The glory of the story seems too good to be true.

Jesus came…to die. And rise. But before Jesus would offer his once-for-all self-sacrificing gift, he was born, and later presented in the Temple, was found in the Temple…He grew, and learned, and lived, and loved. Later, he began to teach, to do signs and wonders, and eventually to suffer and die. This little one we draw close to adore would—will—one day offer himself to the Father to save us. And rise on the third day!

When we profess the creed on Christmas, to more fully enter into the mystery we celebrate, we will not merely bow. We will genuflect as we call to mind the Incarnation. Genuflecting

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at the mystery helps us recall in a more embodied manner our belief that Jesus, the little baby in the manger, is, indeed “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father”…God became little for us.

The Incarnation is rightly called a “marvelous exchange.” The Collect, or Opening Prayer, for Mass During the Day on Christmas invites us to meditate and pray to the Lord in light of this great mystery: O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

St. Paul in 2 Cor 8:9 taps into the mystery of this exchange when he writes, “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” St. Peter for his part makes clear that divine power is offered to us in order that “we may come to share in the divine nature” (2 Pt 1:4). Church Fathers wrote often about this mystery. For example, St. Athanasius taught, “For the Son of God became man, so that we might become God.” Such is the gift that we received that first Christmas, a promise of the marvelous exchange to come. Let us enter into this mystery with joy and hope, and continue to allow the Lord to transform us ever more into our divine selves, for our sake and the sake of all the world.

Merry Christmas!

Fr. Steve Mattson

Laentur de La Hyer | The Appearance of Christ to the Pilgrims of Emmaus | 1656 | oil on asnvc

Fritz Von Uhde |

Road to Emmaus | 1891 | eltasp on aper

FR. JOE CAMPBELL

ACCOMPANYING STUDENTS

LANSING CATHOLIC'S NEW CHAPLAIN SPEAKS ON HIS APPROACH ACCOMPANYING STUDENTS ON THEIR JOURNEYS

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s of July 1 this year, I have been the fulltime Chaplain at Lansing Catholic High School. Before coming to Lansing, I was the Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick in Brighton from 2017-2021. A lot of my job here at LCHS is just to be present at the school every day, get to know the students, and help them to come to know Jesus through the art of accompaniment—much like the walk of the two disciples with Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24). Jesus joins them unexpectedly and begins to discuss with them the scriptures. Though they did not recognize Him, their hearts began “burning within” them as he spoke (v. 32). This desire led them to invite Jesus to stay with them, where he later “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (v. 30). At this moment of the Eucharist, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (v. 31). Jesus then vanished from their sight, but they were so inflamed with zeal that they immediately got up and made the long journey back to Jerusalem to spread the good news (v. 33).

Just as Jesus accompanied the disciples on their journey, so also my role at LCHS is to walk with the students on their journey of faith. In that accompaniment, the ultimate goal is not just to get to know them and support them but to bring them into a relationship with Jesus. Part of that is the ministry of the Word—unpacking the scriptures for them in preaching, teaching, discipleship groups and the many retreat opportunities they have here at school.

Through this encounter with God in His Word and the Truth that He offers, we seek to touch the hearts of the teens and make them burn with a desire for more.

As this desire grows, we provide our students with many opportunities to meet Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We are privileged to have Mass every day here at LCHS and Eucharistic Adoration every Friday. Because of that, every student here is coming to Mass at least once a week and attending Adoration for at least 20 minutes every week. We do this, above all, because any effort to bring our students into a relationship with Jesus would not be complete without this real encounter with God in the Blessed Sacrament.

"We seek to touch the hearts of the teens and make them burn with a desire for more."

But our hope for these students goes far beyond the few short years we have them in our building. Our ultimate goal is that when each and every student graduates they will possess a deep desire to not only remain faithful to Jesus through their adulthood but also to spread the good news of Jesus wherever they go.

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BRIAN FINK

UNTO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD

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MORE YOUNG MEN ARE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO A LIFE OF SACRIFICE & PRAYER SERVING AT THE ALTAR

hat the altar server program at Resurrection is thriving is clear. One need only look toward the sanctuary during Mass, especially on solemnities and feast days, to see what Fr. Steve refers to as an “army” of servers.

Over the past several years, the number of servers has almost tripled. And while Father’s use of the term “army” is a bit tongue-in-cheek, many of the young men who have committed themselves to “going unto the altar of God” (cf. Psalm 43) liken serving at the altar to being part of a spiritual platoon: demanding discipline, courage, wisdom, docility, and discovering what’s it like to experience a real sense of fraternal camaraderie.

When I asked some of the young men why they decided to become altar servers and what they like about serving, here are some of the reasons they gave.

"It's a privilege to be up there, serving.

It brings you closer to Jesus in the Mass."

Nicholas, a 6th grader who began serving last year, said, “I became an altar server because my

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two older brothers served and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I like it because you get to meet some of the older severs and learn from them, and you also get to help train the new servers.” His classmate Isaiah, who is just beginning to serve this year, added, “It’s a privilege to be up there, serving. It brings you closer to Jesus in the Mass.”

In general, the young men enjoy playing a larger role at Mass: assisting the priest, ringing the bells, holding the patens, and of course many look forward to the coveted position of thurifer. For the older servers, it’s also an opportunity to cultivate leadership virtues: diligence, responsibility, patience, and foresight.

In fact, the 8th graders manage both the schoolMass server schedule and Mass responsibilities.

The young men decide to become and remain servers for all sorts of reasons. But at the very heart of serving is a call to communion with Christ, especially as he is present in the Eucharist, and to bear that communion out in a life lived for others. Speaking to a group of altar servers, Pope Francis notes: "The closer you are to the altar," he told them, "the more you will remember to speak with Jesus in daily prayer; the more you will be nourished by the word and the body of the Lord, the better able you will be to go out to others, bringing them the gift that you have received, giving in turn with enthusiasm the joy you have received.”

SR. MARY GABRIEL, O.P.

PREPARING A PLACE FOR WORSHIP

JUNIOR SACRISTANS FAITHFULLY SERVE OUR “GREAT HIGH PRIEST” BY SETTING UP FOR MASS

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t Resurrection School, helping students to develop a relationship with God and grow in faith and love is a priority. The young women in middle school can pursue this goal in a unique way by volunteering to serve as Junior Sacristans.

The Junior Sacristan program was begun in the Fall of 2017 with the aim of allowing young women to enter more deeply into the liturgy. It encompasses learning about the Mass and items used in the liturgy, becoming more aware of the Church's liturgical calendar, making a commitment to grow in one's prayer life, actively assisting in setting up for school Masses, and celebrating together on special feast days.

That first year saw eight young women volunteer, but the number has grown steadily, and currently eighteen serve as Junior Sacristans. It has become an opportunity that many of 5th graders look forward to as they anticipate entering middle school. When asked what her thoughts were as a 5th grader, one middle schooler reminisced, “I was excited to be a Junior Sacristan because it helps you grow closer to Jesus, because it is like helping Him.” Through their dedicated work, these young women are beginning to discover the One they truly serve, Jesus, our “great High Priest” (Heb 4:14).

Teachers and other adults have noticed the positive influence the program has had on its participants and the zeal with which

the young women serve both the Lord and others. As one 8th grader noted, “I think Junior Sacristans is a good opportunity to serve God in a practical way. It also teaches us to work together and help each other when we need it.” Generosity and a spirit of service are commonplace, as there are always volunteers eager to take on additional duties or substitute for a fellow Junior Sacristan who happens to be absent that day.

The value of being a Junior Sacristan is

"I was excited to be a Junior Sacristan because it helps you grow closer to Jesus, because it is like helping Him." also seen by the young women themselves, as evidenced by the statement of another 8th grader: “I only just started doing Junior Sacristans this year and already I know that I am going to love doing it! It is a great opportunity to learn teamwork, responsibility, and being able to learn more about the Church! Also, it’s not like we only set up for Mass (which is great by itself)—we also do lots of fun things with each other. Junior Sacristan is so much fun and I am so glad I did it this year.”

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Our friendly and faithful volunteers order and pick up donuts, arrive early to brew coffee, and keep everything running smoothly.

BEN POHL

COFFEE &

DONUTS

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offee and donuts is a longstanding tradition at Church of the Resurrection, having begun well before Fr. Steve’s time at the parish. Today, after each of the Sunday morning Masses, parishioners and visitors gather in Mercy Hall for coffee, donuts, and fellowship. It’s a great way to catch up, connect with other parishioners, and celebrate the Lord’s Day as a parish family. A big THANK YOU to everyone who makes coffee and donuts an important part of our parish experience!

A donut to celebrate the Lord’s Day brings a smile to children as they get a taste of life in our parish family.

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Parishioners of all ages come together to share life, to laugh, and rejoice in the goodness of the Lord.

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Vioenzc Caenat |

Saint Jerome in his Study | 1510 | oil on asnvc

CRAIG GALER

GROWING IN HOLINESS THROUGH STUDY

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A PRACTICE THAT HELPS US BE “TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND”

n the course of three Thursday evenings in October and November, Dr. John Yocum, professor at Sacred Heart Seminary and a Resurrection parishioner, presented three talks comprising the latest formation series on the topic of Spiritual Growth Through Study.

The first talk of the series was on the topic of Sacred Scripture. Dr. Yocum presented solid advice on how to study Scripture, not just for intellectual or academic knowledge of what the Bible says (though that is certainly valuable), but to be changed by it, to have our character formed, and come to know God better on a personal level. He reviewed a number of aids for studying scripture—various Bible-in-a-year study plans, commentaries to help ‘dig in’ to the meaning of the scriptures, as well as a brief introduction to the Church’s tradition of lectio divina—meditating on the scriptures to ‘get them inside’ ourselves.

Bishop Boyea’s Year of the Bible (BYOB) has helped me establish the discipline of reading and meditating on at least one chapter of the Bible every day. My wife and I are also in the third of four years of the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, which has been an outstanding opportunity to learn the Bible as a unified whole, to see God’s plan at work from Creation through the Incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the earliest beginnings of the Church.

The second talk was on the fathers and doctors of the Church. The Church fathers are the early pastors and teachers (from roughly the first seven centuries) who

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had a formative role in the life and teachings of the Church, developing, for example, our understanding of the Trinity and the Two Natures of Christ— how Jesus Christ could be both fully God and fully man. Dr. Yocum recommended several books on the writings of the fathers, including Benedict XVI Church Fathers, St. Basil On Social Justice, and St. Augustine Enchiridion On Faith, Hope and Love.

The doctors of the Church (there are 36 of them) are officially recognized as outstanding teachers—theologians, mystics, and catechists who display a charism of wisdom bestowed by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church.

The third talk was on the Magisterium, the Church’s official teaching office which is expressed through Church councils, papal encyclicals, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Dr. Yocum made the point that the pope and bishops do not ‘invent’ doctrine, they only “hand on that with which they have been entrusted.” He especially recommended the Catechism as a great gift to the Church, presenting the Church’s teachings in a single volume, with value both as a reference and for profitable personal study. The official documents of the Second Vatican Council are also edifying, and more accessible than might be expected.

The entire series was an outstanding occasion to grow in our capacity to “love the Lord…with all [our] mind” (Mt 22:37). You can listen to audio of the sessions by visiting corlansing.org/formationcourses.

DAN DOWSETT

CAN WE PRAY FOR YOU? LOVING CHRIST IN THE POOR AND VULNERABLE

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was first drawn to the St. Vincent de Paul Society after attending one of the group’s weekly meetings and finding that the whole thing was centered around prayer. We prayed together and interceded for the people that we served as well as those on our perpetual prayer list. When I read the manual of the Society, I also discovered that the mission of the Vincentian is a means to holiness. As the manual states, “The ministry of a Vincentian to those and with those who stand in need is a powerful means that affects the holiness of life for the Vincentian.” But this reality really rang true when I began volunteering.

One day, I made a home visit with Thomas Crowley. Thomas drove us to an apartment complex that looked a bit dilapidated. The parking lot was full of broken glass, the building was in desperate need of repair, the hallway had a combination of unrecognizable odors. We knocked on the door and it was answered by a young man with a soft, gentle voice…thanking us before we even helped him. He never actually invited us into his apartment, so we remained in the hallway as we spoke with him. He expressed that he was discouraged and had no hope…that his life was challenging. The words fell out of my mouth… can we pray for you? He immediately reached out his hands as Thomas and I began to pray.

This story is repeated over and over again as we help our neighbors. Not all recipients are comfortable with prayer, nor is it a requirement of assistance. I always ask if one would like prayer and never assume that they will accept. Some people simply are not comfortable. But it’s remarkable how many people eagerly receive our invitation.

At one point, after volunteering for several months, I felt discouraged that we weren’t more effectively helping people. I prayed for direction and encouragement. The next day, a young man came to us for help and needed a ride home. As I was giving him a ride to his

house, he asked if I would take him to a job interview…it was several miles away. During the drive, I told him about my faith journey.

When we reached his destination, he had a little time before his appointment and asked if he could tell me about his life. He proceeded to open his heart in a way that he claimed he hadn’t in many years. He told me how he’d thrown away a chance at a great career by stealing from his employer….being caught and incarcerated. He told me about his misspent youth and ask me if we could pray. We did and he thanked me, saying that that was just what he needed. I drove away thanking God for a quick turn around time on my prayer the day before!

Another time I did a home visit and was delivering a couple of pies to an elderly neighbor. I casually asked how she was doing.

She responded that life had been difficult because her daughter had succumbed to drugs and her two grandchildren were now in her care. She wept as she told me that she struggled with taking care of her own personal needs, let alone taking care her grandchildren. As I was leaving, I said, “I will pray for you and your daughter.” She stopped me and said, “Please don’t leave, I need you to pray for me right now.”

"Please don't leave, I need you to pray for me right now."

Vincentians who minister to the least of their brothers and sisters find in them the person of Jesus. This interaction, this encounter with Jesus, transforms them. As we celebrate this Christmas Season, I invite you to remember that our Lord Jesus, who came to us so vulnerable, so poor, comes to us still today in this way.

Let us meet Him with hearts full of love.

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BEN POHL

WITHOUT COST YOU HAVE RECEIVED

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MARCUS AND ADRIENNE WELLS SHARE THEIR STORY OF RECEIVING LOVE AND GIVING IT AWAY

arcus and Adrienne Wells met at Ferris State University in 2005 and were married in 2009. They first lived in Oakland County, then Howell, and finally made their way to Lansing in 2014 where they began renting a small home. But before long they were looking to buy a home of their own for their growing family.

What they didn’t know was that their search would turn into an invitation to a humble reliance on God’s grace and the opportunity to extend hospitality in a way they never thought they could.

sleep for a few hours then go be at Meijer by 10 pm until pretty much I had to be at my other job.”

On top of that, Adrienne found herself experiencing debilitating pain and fatigue in the weeks following her pregnancy. In 2014 she had contracted Lyme Disease, and after giving birth to Caleb, she found out that she also had Hashimoto’s Disease. “With all my health issues…I just kind of went into a tailspin.”

The health issues were causing problems at work, so Adrienne tried to go on short-term disability. “It didn’t come through…I didn’t get paid for those three months or so that I was off.” It was devastating, both for Adrienne’s health and the family’s financial situation. “At one point, I remember friends and coworkers bringing groceries over.”

In the midst of all the difficulty, they desperately needed to find a different home for their growing family. Through some parish connections, Adrienne found a new home to rent. It was small, but it worked and they lived there until 2018 when the Landlord decided she wanted to sell. They needed to move again, but were still not financially ready.

The Wellses found a realtor and began searching, but discovered that purchasing the home they needed for their family was not financially possible at the time. Their third child, Caleb, had just been born and Marcus was working two jobs to help make ends meet, one at Lansing Parks and Recreation and the other at Meijer. “I didn’t really sleep ever.

I’d go to work 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, go home and

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A few months prior, however, a couple at Resurrection who knew about their situation approached Adrienne. She recalls the couple’s providential offer: “We know you guys are always looking for work for Marcus, and we feel that you don’t realize how much you mean to our community and we really want you to stay here. We’d like to offer you money towards a down payment for a home.” Not long before, Marcus and Adrienne had discussed moving back to Oakland County where there might be more job opportunities for Marcus. When they spoke about the unexpected offer, Marcus was hesitant. “It was my pride, it was like, ‘No, I’m the provider. I’m supposed to figure it out type of thing…At the same time, I guess being

the provider, you’re supposed to figure things out, and accepting [the assistance] is figuring it out.”

So when they found out that they would have to move, they revisited the offer and decided to accept the generosity. In just a few days, with the help of their friends Mike and Olivia Olds, they found a house they liked. Adrienne remembers, “We put an offer on the house and we contacted the people that had offered to support us. Their assistance not only covered the down payment for us but it covered all the inspections and it covered some of the things we needed when we moved in… From the day we were told we would need to move out to the day we moved in it was forty days or so.”

If the Wellses story ended here, it would still be worth telling. But God had more in store for them.

“A year or so later,” recalls Adrienne, “We found out that [one of Marcus’ sisters] had been in a safe house for almost a year with her kids…Marcus and I said to his mom, ‘She can’t stay there forever, someone needs to do something.’ We felt like we had the means to provide for them a home and to provide for their safety. But also, we have this community here in Lansing, at Resurrection, that can provide her support with both her material needs and her spiritual needs as well.” She agreed to come.

Adrienne put something out on Facebook asking for help. “The community provided beds and

dressers…Christmas gifts for her and her kids and for us and our kids. Then when she moved out I put the word out again.” The community responded generously and she was able to get everything she needed as she moved in to her own place.

Her sister-in-law was amazed. It was not easy to

"It was my pride, it was like, 'No, I'm the provider, I'm supposed to figure it out type of thing'" receive help in this way, just as it wasn’t easy for Marcus and Adrienne. Marcus, reflecting again on the experience of receiving help with a down payment expressed the difficulty: “I’m like no, that’s not real, people don’t do that. My sister and I did not grow up having experiences with people giving like that.” Adrienne sums up their story well: “I see how God provided for us so that we could provide for her.” This is precisely what Jesus told His apostles when He first sent them out to minister to the lost sheep, “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Mt. 10:8).

AN UPDATE ON

JIM & PIPER FOUNTAIN

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ast year in October, Jim spent three and a half minutes with no heartbeat from a failed heart valve, was revived and endured his third open heart surgery. We covered Jim and his wife Piper’s story in the fall issue of Resurrection Magazine, which you can view at corlansing.org/magazine. God continues to bless Jim and Piper and it’s simple, they say: Together they humbly pray a daily rosary and try to put God’s will above their own. Piper tells us, “If a person prays, their relationship with Jesus in this turbulent life grows strong and He abides in us. As the world continues to spin frighteningly out of control and further away from God and His ways, we are living peacefully with no anxiety at all, rejoicing always and walking through our days with the Good Shepherd. To the glory of God, Jim is better than he was before, back to his blessed life and very much alive!”

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ELIZABETH HANSEN

CELEBRATING THE TWELVE DAYS

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GET INSPIRED TO CELEBRATE THE FULL CHRISTMAS SEASON

hen I was a kid, I’m 100% sure the phrase “liturgical living” was never uttered in my home or parishes. We didn’t mark feast days, Lent meant little more than cheese pizza Fridays, and we certainly didn’t get to parade around in saint costumes on Nov. 1, gorging on candy for a second straight day after Halloween.

I can think of one big exception, though: Christmas. And I don’t just mean, “Christmas day was a big deal.” Growing up, my parents made a very intentional decision to mark the whole Christmas season—to stretch the joy and profound meaning of this holy time to its full extent.

"The gift of Advent is that it slowly, steadily prepares us for a great feast."

Now with four kids of my own, I appreciate that wisdom even more: the world ramps itself up into a frenzy before Christmas, chasing a sentimental or consumerist rush, and it’s so easy to get sucked in. It can make Dec. 26 emotionally exhausting and, if we’re being honest, the following days pretty bleak. But the gift of Advent is that it slowly, steadily prepares us for a great feast. When the greenery and creche finally appear in the sanctuary, and we take a deep breath to finally sing the Christmas hymns... then the party begins. Then we exhale and rest in the victory of a newborn who conquers hearts.

If your family’s anything like mine, I won’t say the days until Epiphany won’t be chaotic, but if there’s such a thing as joyful, even peace-

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filled raucousness, that’s the kind of Christmas season I hope my own children remember.

What are simple ways families can keep the Christmas feast going past Dec. 25?

-Consider spacing gifts throughout the season.

Full disclosure, my kids are pretty resistant to this idea, but my parents did this for years in a literal “On the first day of Christmas/my true love gave to me” sense, and I loved the anticipation of having one more present to open for 12 days in a row (stocking stuffer-type gifts and gifts sent from grandparents were included—these weren’t big presents!) It also cuts down on the temptation to make gifts the sole focus of Christmas Day. -On a similar note, if you’re gifting an experience to your family (an outing, a fun class, etc.), try to schedule it during the actual Christmas season and make a point of saying, this is part of our rejoicing!

-Stressed about fitting all the “required” holiday memory makers into early or midDecember? Save the gingerbread house, or cookie decorating, or your favorite Christmas movies marathon, for after the 25th.

-Keep playing the Christmas songs! Lines like “Born that man no more may die” are my favorite of the whole year -- I want to imprint them in my children’s minds.

-Switch out your Advent candles for white candles and sing a rollicking verse of “O Come Let Us Adore Him” before dinner each night.

-Join other Resurrection families for the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, on Fri., Dec. 31. After Mass, we’ll have a potluck-style party in Mercy Hall to ring in the New Year (with an early, 8 p.m. countdown) and to celebrate Mary, our Mother, who delights in our continuing joy at the birth of her Son.

Charles Le Brun |

Adoration of the Shepherds| 1689 | oil on asnvc

MARY GATES

WE COME TO ADORE A MEDITATION ON LE BRUN’S ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS

T

hey come in adoration. They come in anticipation and wonder. Heaven and earth come for a glimpse.

the creator, the love of the baby, the love of the crucified. We come having made room for the One who wants to dwell with us and in us.

For the veil is pulled back, the savior longawaited arrives, not in triumph. Rather, a son has been born. A child given. The promise has been kept—the one they have waited for is here to heal and forgive, to love and redeem.

For where shall we go, if not here? His words, eternal life. Where shall we run? He is there.

And He is here. Here in the world steeped in darkness, He has come. God incarnate, baby in a manger, light of the world.

And so they come to adore. The mighty one, the everlasting one, the prince, born unto us. Born one of us. The God-man warrior sent to conquer sin and death will reign victorious, but first is born an infant, swaddled, and loved.

Let us leave everything and come to Him our only hope. Let us hasten to the God who made us and loves us and calls us.

And so we come to adore. Because the one we have waited for is here to heal and forgive, to love and redeem. We come with heaven and earth for a glimpse. We come with wonder at the love of

Let us come, though weary and woeful, meek and mourning. Let us come, though sinful and tired, poor and weak. Let us come and join heaven in praising the Baby. For God is with us.

Oh come, let us adore Him. Christ, the Lord.

UPCOMING PARISH EVENT

TWELFTH NIGHT CELEBRATION JANUARY 8, 2022 | 7:00PM

In January 2022 we have planned a parish cultural event called The Twelfth Night Celebration. The event will take place from 7pm on January 8 and is intended to be a celebration of the season of Christmas.

Mercy Hall will be decked out as something resembling a pub(!) and we hope to present an evening of songs, music and poetry that will inspire and entertain in equal measure. The Twelfth Night has been a traditional celebration since before medieval times, especially in Europe, and involves the consumption of abundant food and drink as well as songs, tunes and poetry performances to honor the birth of our Savior.

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LUKE HANSEN

O D E TO T H E I N C A R N AT I O N

CO R L ANSI N G . O R G |

1 5 0 E M I C H I G A N AV E NUE

. LANSI N G , M I C H I G A N

. 48912 |

(517) 482-47 9