St. Joseph Catholic Church
3425 Andersonville Highway
P.O. Box 387
Norris, TN 37828
865-494-7746
In the Diocese of Knoxville
"Becoming Disciples of the Gospel"
Advent and Christmas Mass Schedule:
Advent:
December 23rd
St. Therese, Clinton
5:30 p.m.
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December 24th
St. Joseph, Norris
9:00 a.m.
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St. Therese, Clinton
11:00 a.m.
Christmas:
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December 24th
St. Joseph, Norris
4:30 p.m. Christmas Vigil Mass
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St. Therese, Clinton
4:00 p.m. Christmas Vigil Mass
12:00 a.m. Midnight Christmas Mass
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Christmas Day Masses:
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St. Joseph, Norris
9:00 a.m. Christmas Mass
St. Therese, Clinton
11:00 a.m. Christmas Mass
New Year:
December 30
Saturday Holy Family at St. Therese
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December 31
St. Joseph
9:00 a.m. Sunday Holy Family
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December 31
St. Therese
11:00 a.m. Sunday Holy Family
​
January 1st New Year
St. Joseph
9:00 a.m.
t. Therese
11:00 a.m.
As we approach the Third Week of Advent, known in my house as Pink Candle Sunday, we focus on rejoicing. After all, it is called Gaudete Sunday, which is Latin for REJOICE. I’m sharing these short prayers that you can do every day this week to meditate and bring you closer to the Advent of our King. The Catholic Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a wonderful theology that uses ancient biblical imagery to proclaim the coming Christ. Their repeated use of "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. Enjoy and share with others! Karen Vacalieu, KDCCW President
December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
—From Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With this quiet lighting of our fourth Advent candle, an event of enormous immensity, willed by God, narrowly approaches with tonight’s Vigil Masses! From centuries of ancient expectation of a Messiah, through many epochs of early rituals, sacrifices, and prophecies, everything converges in Christ’s birth. Humanity looks forward with great expectations to hear the Angels singing “Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace to people of goodwill.”
In today’s reading from Samuel, we see how David’s desire for a greater dwelling for the ark of God progresses far beyond David’s aspirations; truly God wants something more than a building, something new and dramatic, the promise of a house, a kingdom that would last forever. In this passage, it is so apparent that David’s heir, Jesus, sprung from David’s loins and, fathered by God Himself, would be that ‘kingdom that shall endure forever.’ The Second Reading from St. Paul also transforms us with Paul’s affirmation of God's wondrous plan for human salvation through Jesus.
Today, no decision in all of human history can compare in magnitude with the one that Mary was asked to make. No doubt Mary has unlimited trust in the will of God; she doesn’t need to ‘understand.’ She swiftly makes plans to visit her cousin Elizabeth, setting aside any previous plans in her life, ready to delight in the shared news. This perfect obedience to God’s plans is a beacon for us, to be able to humbly say ‘yes’ to whatever direction He points us, getting our ‘selves’ out of the way.
In the Marital Vocation, one can delight in the realization of great joy when one spouse defers to the other for the cause of a greater good. How counterintuitive this brand of obedience is for our culture! Perhaps Christmas can be a time for submission of our will and faculty back to the Creator. By discerning what God clearly wants us to do or achieve through obedience, like Mary’s, we become his coworkers, to be ready to shelve our plans even when we don’t fully understand, or even if they make little sense to us.
So, let us spend time in prayer with Mary, that she may implant her roots in our souls, and produce wonders of grace which she alone can produce and that her Spouse, the Holy Spirit, may fly to us and fill us with His presence. Amen.
Happy Last Sunday of Advent!