FOR UNTO US IS BORN A SAVIOR WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD:  The true meaning of Christmas lies hidden behind much of the secular and consumer aspects of the season.  Let us never lose sight of the reason for this holy season – the Word made flesh who dwells among us.  The immense and intense all-powerful God Who made everything out of nothing chose to make Himself one of us in order that He might show us a greater love and grant us the promise of new and eternal life.

As wars rage across the world, we call upon the Prince of Peace to reign in us, through us and over us.  Jesus was heaven sent so we might become heaven bound.  Jesus was born to die that we might live again, that we might be forgiven, and that we might follow him home to the Father’s house.  Carve out some time this holy day to take a good look at the nativity scene and remember the happy times of Christmases past and that in that manger lies the tiny infant who would go on to save us all.  His birth, his life, his words and his works, and especially his death and resurrection changed everything for everyone, for you and for me.  Come let us adore him! 

WELCOME HOME:  To all of those who are home for the holidays or visiting family in Jackson for Christmas, welcome back to Queens!  To those who may not have a Church home or who might be looking for a new one, give us a good look.  Queens is a community of believers who are striving for holiness and happiness in Heaven.  In a world where God is forgotten, believers are persecuted and traditional biblical beliefs are mocked, we need, now more than ever, the rock-solid foundations of faith that a Church home can offer us.  There is most definitely strength in numbers when we gather at the foot of the cross in the house of God.  As the light of the star drew shepherds and wise men to the manger, I pray that same light of God’s love will guide those who are wandering in the world’s wilderness of sin and sadness back to the shepherd’s flock as we end one year and prepare to start another. 

From my house to your house, I wish all of you a Christmas that is merry and bright. 

This is it! In a few minutes, I will go unlock the church and plug in the lights!  This Christmas Eve, Wednesday December 24^th, the Boy Scouts have graciously agreed to coordinate stadium parking in our lot to maximize space for the 4pm Mass in Church and the 4:15 overflow Mass in the gym.  There is also overflow seating in Vincentian Hall where the Mass will be seen on the big screens. 

Fr. David Stawasz of the Servants of Charity and the St. Louis Center in Chelsea will preside at the 4:15pm Mass in the Queens School Gym.  Those who attend it are asked to help move tables and chairs for the Community Wide Christmas Dinner after Mass. 

If you have never before attended the Midnight Mass consider joining us.  There is nothing else like it.  The choir begins singing carols at 11:30 before the Mass starts at the stroke of 12:00am.  

The parish office is closed the rest of the week

If you did not sign up to help with the dinner, it’s not too late and many hands make light work . . .

The New Year 2026 begins with a holy day of obligation celebrating Mary the Mother of God and the World Day of Prayer for Peace.  Queens will have holy day Masses at 5:30pm on New Year’s Eve (no 5pm holy hour) and on New Year’s Day at 9 and 11am.

This title of the Blessed Mother as God’s mother was met with controversy in the early Christian community, but the debate was at last put to rest in the year 431 AD at the Council of Ephesus when the Church Fathers declared Mary to be the Theotokos in Greek, or ‘the God bearer.’  The reasoning is profound yet simple.  If Mary is the Mother of Jesus and Jesus is God, then Mary is the Mother of God. 

Here is an excerpt from the declaration of the Bishops at Ephesus, upholding the right for the Blessed Mother to bear this title:

We confess, then, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, perfect God and perfect man, of a rational soul and a body, begotten before all ages from the Father in his Godhead, the same in the last days, for us and for our salvation, born of Mary the Virgin according to his humanity, one and the same consubstantial with the Father in Godhead and consubstantial with us in humanity, for a union of two natures took place. Therefore, we confess one Christ, one Son, one Lord. According to this understanding of the unconfused union, we confess the holy Virgin to be the Mother of God because God the Word took flesh and became man and from his very conception united to himself the temple he took from her (Formula of Union [A.D. 431]).

Stuff someone’s stocking this Christmas with a Great 50/50 Super Raffle Ticket to benefit Jackson Catholic Schools.  I will have tickets for sale after Masses this weekend on the Carlton porch.  Volunteers will also be selling in the elevator entrance.  Tickets can be purchased at the parish or school office during the week.  Cash, check, credit and debit are accepted. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching” (Heb 13:8-9).

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor