Connections. . .

Second Sunday of Advent
John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
            Mark 1:1-8

Music of the Heart
Roberta Guaspari's life had just about hit bottom.  Her husband walked out on her, leaving her with two little boys, no job and few prospects.  But, possessing the gift of music in her fingers and in her heart, she rebuilt her own life and the lives of hundreds of Each Harlem children through her teaching.
Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep protrays Roberta Guaspari in the critically acclaimed movie, Music of the Heart. 
A gifted violinist, Roberta takes a job as a substitute teacher in a poor East Harlem school.  Dropping her g's and barking orders to her reluctant students, Roberta believes so much in the ability of her students and the power of music and art that she moves her two sons from her mother's comfortable home in the suburbs to a walk-up in East Harlem.  She works her students hard, she bears down on them to get through that passage! -- but her students know that she loves them and cares for them.  She knows what many of these families are going through and offers them unconditional support.  Her tenaciousness even overcomes a cynical school board's cutting of her music program, despite its ten years of near miraculous results.
With unyielding conviction, stubborn dedication and 50 violins, Roberta Guaspari transforms the lives of her students by her affirmation of the power of music to provide beauty, healing, joy and a sense of accomplishment.

CONNECTION:  Roberta Guaspari models the Scriptural prophet-- from the Greek word for "one who proclaims."  With all the foibles of human beings, prophets possess a vision of what the world can and should become and give themselves totally to the work of realizing that vision.  Whether we possess the dramatic persona and presence of John the Baptist or the dedication and skill of a teacher like Roberta Guaspari, each one of us is called by God to respond to the call of "prophet" with whatever talents and skills we possess, transforming the wastelands and barren places around us into harvests of justice and forgiveness, creating highways for our God to enter and remake our world in his compassion and peace.

Looking Ahead&
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5
8:00am Mass (Cantor & Organ)
9:30am Mass (Choral) - Coffee & Donuts Following
10:30am New Parishioner Registration (Parish Center)
11:00am Mass (Contemporary) - Coffee & Donuts Following
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6
8:30am  Eucharist Service

PLEASE PRAY FOR

Those in our community who are ill:
Bea Kayser, John McAlpine, Irene Mitchell, Clarence Thole, Geraldine Shea,  Mary Ann DeMars, Linda Zappa, Kevin Keenan, Chris Fodness, Elvira Jacobson, LaVonne Hruby, Lois Leary, Jerod Hawley, Bernadette Hearn. Henry Widmer, Irene DeBruzzi, Joe Koch, Ann Griffin, Ann Czech, Dan Sebesta, Beverly Stamfle, Mary Kay Utecht, Anne Neubauer, Sandra Zauner, Michael Kavanagh, Richard St. Germain, David Moser, Diane Ryan, John Battmer, Bill Miske, Jacquie Evans, LeRoy Zamor, Mary Shea, Henry Horbatuck, Sr. Lois Wasielewski, James and Frances Vonasek, Marjorie Peterson, Infinity Duncan, Marlene Wresh, Marie Macho, Ruth White, Frank Gajeski, Phyllis Rech, Wanda Swanson, Betty Kapala, Marcie Thompson, Bernice VandenPlas, Carol Leonard, Rupert Meyer, Howard Morris, Richard Smith.
     
The families and souls of those who recently have died:
Jim McSherry, John Rozman, Donald Farnsworth,
Bernard Bentler, Bernard Peichel, Walter Slatoski