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20 | November 30, 2017 | The Homer Horizon FAITH
homerhorizon.com
Pastor Column
Enjoying the bread, not just the crumbs
THE REV. THOMAS J. LOYA
Annunciation Byzantine
Catholic Church
There is hardly
anything as comforting
and enjoyable
as homemade breads and
pastries. As bread bakes
in an oven, it fills a home
with a warm and delectable
aroma. Even the crumbs are
delicious.
But would we bake bread
just to enjoy the crumbs
and forget about the loaf itself?
That would be ridiculous.
Yet, this is precisely
what happens in modern
Western culture when it
comes to some of what we
call “holidays,” and, in
particular, the Christmas
“holidays.”
What actually originates
and belongs to the order of
what is biblical and holy
often gets commandeered
by our culture and its definition
gets changed. “Holy
days,” from where we get
the word “holidays,” are
just that — a call to what
is holy.
In contrast, “holidays”
are designated interruptions
of our usual schedule for
just getting together and
making merry. We have
come to the point where no
consciousness or acknowledgement
of the actual
origins of a “holiday” are
relevant, and, even in some
places, not even permitted.
The getting together,
the food, the decorating,
the shopping and gift
exchanges of the Christmas
“holidays,” as enchanting
as these things can be,
they are simply just the
“crumbs” of the “loaf.”
While the crumbs may
be enjoyable, the bread
itself is the whole point
and is so much more satisfying.
The fact that during
“holidays” such as Christmas,
we get so caught up
in the “crumbs” must mean
that the bread itself is really
good. So, why not partake
of the bread itself? Why
settle for just the crumbs,
tasty as they may be?
The “bread” of Christmas
is about a great mystery,
once hidden and now
revealed. It is about an
invisible God who loved
his creation so much he
condescended to become
visible by uniting himself
with his own creation in
an incomprehensible act
of love that can best be
described analogously as a
“marriage,” a spousal union
between the Creator and his
creation.
Precisely and only
because of the Christmas
event, visible creation is
now seen as being infused
with the presence of God,
most particularly the human
person.
This means that the only
honest response to all of
creation, especially to the
human person, must be
respect, responsibility and
deferential love.
Why not for once for this
“holiday” season eat from
the loaf and not just the
crumbs? Why not commit
to renewing peace, respect,
responsibility and deferential
love in our marriages
and families, in the workplace
and everywhere?
The bread is so much
more satisfying than the
crumbs.
The opinions of this column are
that of the writer. They do not
necessarily reflect those of The
Homer Horizon.
FAITH BRIEFS
VENDORS WANTED
Our Healthy Living Expo will be 9am to
1pm Saturday, January 13th, 2018, at the
Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451
Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park
This event will be the answer to getting the
New Year’s resolution off to a solid start by
offering health screenings, fitness tips,
healthy eating ideas and more to start off
the New Year with a New You.
For more information, call
(708) 326-9170 or visit
www.22ndcenturymedia.com/healthy
Deadline: December 6th, 2017
Cross of Glory Lutheran Church (14719 W.
163rd St., Homer Glen)
Advent Wednesdays
6 p.m. Dec. 6 and Dec. 13.
A potluck dinner will be at
6 p.m., following a short Advent
service after. Children
can also enjoy fun Christmas
activities.
Annual Visit with Santa
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday,
Dec. 9. Families are welcome
to attend this free
event to visit with Santa
and take a photo with him.
Children will also get to do a
craft and play games.
Angel Tree
Each year, the church collects
names from DCFS to
help with Christmas gifts.
For more information on
helping a child this year, call
(708) 301-6998.
Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish
(16043 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen)
Knights of Columbus Blood
Drive
8 a.m.-noon Sunday, Dec.
10. Sign-up to save a life and
donate. There is no registration
necessary. A photo ID is
In Memoriam
Josephine June Hostert
Josephine June Hostert
(nee Vodziak), 78, of Lockport,
died Nov. 21. She was
a longtime member of the
women’s auxiliary for the
then all-volunteer Homer
Township Fire Department.
She was an active member
of the Will County School
District 92 band boosters.
She enjoyed cooking, gardening,
reading and crossword
puzzles. She is survived
by her three children,
Judy Harvey, Jean (Jeff)
Hartford and Dolores (Joe)
McGrath; her daughter-inlaw,
Jeanne Hostert; her
grandchildren, Annalyn
Hostert, Mary (Nick) Szalinski,
Theresa (Alex) Hefner,
James Hostert, Hanah
Hartford, Kelly Hartford,
Martha and Joe Harvey; her
great-grandchildren Gryffin
required to donate blood. The
goal for the parish is for at least
20 people to donate blood.
Christmas Mass Schedule
Sunday, Dec. 24
3:30 p.m. Choir Sing-A-
Long
4 p.m. Mass
4:15 p.m. Mass overflow
(Homer Jr. High)
10:30 p.m. Mass
Monday, Dec. 25
8:30 a.m. Mass
10:30 a.m. Mass
St. Bernard Parish (13030 W. 143rd St.,
Homer Glen)
Hefner, Dean and Charlotte
Szalinski; her siblings, Loretta
Hadrys, Dorothy (James)
West, Ronald (Catherine)
Vaughn and Richard (Beverly)
Vodziak; her sisters-inlaw,
Louise Morris and Marcyann
Vodziak; and her many
nieces and nephews. Funeral
services were held at St. Joseph
Church in Lockport. In
lieu of flowers, donations to
the Morningstar Mission,
Holy Hour
7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4.
Holy Hour for Life, Marriage
and Family. Many topics
facing families today will
be addressed at the event. A
holiday hospitality hour will
follow the program.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Jacquelyn Schlabach at
j.schlabach@22
ndcenturymedia.com or call
(708) 326-9170 ext. 15. Information
is due by noon Thursday
one week prior to publication.
the Alzheimer’s Association
or Friend’s of Sunny Hill
Nursing Home appreciated.
Friends and family can sign
the guestbook at www.oneil
funeralhome.com.
Have someone’s life you’d
like to honor? Email j.@
schlabach@22ndcenturymedia.
com with information about a
loved one who was a part of the
Homer Glen community.