St. Barbara Catholic Church follows the Tahoma School District weather advisories. If the school is closed during the week, there will be no weekday celebrations. Please use your best judgement when attending church in winter weather. If you can not get to mass safely, feel free to watch our 8 a.am. Sunday mass on livestream.

Solemnity of Mary, The Mother of God Numbers. 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21. The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Introduction: Since we celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God, on New Year’s Day, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year. Indeed, the Church puts this solemnity on the first day of the New Year to emphasize the importance of Mary’s role in the life of Christ and of the Church. This means, in celebrating her special feast day, we acknowledge this great gift for the Church and world; we call on her to be actively involved in our daily life; we imitate her virtuous life as a great inspiration; and we cooperate with all the graces we get through her.” In short, I pray that the Lord Jesus and His Mother Mary may enrich your lives during the New Year with an abundance of God’s blessings. Life Message: Hence, on this first day of January 2023, let’s turn things around and start the day with a benediction, which is called Aaron’s Blessing, from the Book of Numbers. In fact, this is one of the most powerful blessings in the Bible, that all of us have heard many times at the end of Mass: “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” What’s the Point? To us Christians, this powerful prayer, is very reassuring and filled with deep hope and promise. Just imagine that our Lord is there to watch over and keep each of us safe each moment of our lives. That Christ is looking down on us and sharing his infinite grace with us. And, that the Lord is there to give us the peace we all seek and so desperately need. What a truly wonderful gift we have received? What more could we ask from our God as we journey together into this new year? Perhaps the more pressing question is, what do we do with this wonderful gift? Do we smugly go about our daily routines knowing the Lord is watching out for us? Or do we realize that gifts of this magnitude are meant to be shared, and that we should use this wonderful gift to energize our lives? Perhaps, with courage and conviction, we should go out and share the Lord’s gift to us with others. If we are molded in God’s image, should we not strive to emulate God in how we comport ourselves? What a better world it would be if we thought of and treated our family, coworkers, neighbors and even strangers the way God does us. …If we were to let our faces shine upon those in need and let them know we were there for them, willing to serve and assist them. …If we were kind and gracious to all and shared our peace with each of them, so they might know that the world is not filled with the wicked people and acts of brutality that dominate our news. …If we shared the same compassion and forgiveness that God pours down upon us in an unending stream, on those who have wronged us. Conclusion: Therefore, this year, in addition to the usual exercise more, lose some weight, learn new language resolutions, let’s resolve to make one to be more conscious about sharing the infinite blessings we receive from God with everyone whom we come in contact with. Happy New Year!

As we enter a New Year, it is an excellent time to reflect on how our lives have been moved by our Lord Jesus Christ. Have we welcomed God into our lives? Have we taken time to speak with God each day? Have we put God first? With the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, it can be hard to make time for God, but we can look to others for inspiration. What steps can we take to improve our relationship with God throughout the year? It is almost serendipitous that we celebrate the first true disciple of Jesus right when the new year begins. Today we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. She is the first true follower of Jesus Christ. The one who said “Yes” to God when the angel came to her that fateful day. She, of true faith and love, gave her life to God the Father and the Son. What devotion she must have had to take on such a challenge. We cannot all be as devout as Mary, but maybe we can learn from her perseverance and faithfulness. If we could give but one moment each day to God, compared to what Mary gave her entire life, we may be able to grow our relationship with our Lord and King. Not only did Mary say “Yes” to bring Jesus into this world, but she also raised Jesus. She experienced all the challenges of motherhood and suffered the loss of a child, the ultimate fear of every mother. Even through all these trials, Mary still stayed true to God and dedicated her life to her faith. What if, instead of just one moment of prayer each day, we took our dedication to our faith even further? Praying at home alone and with our family is a perfect way to start our journey, but bringing Christ to your community is even better. Volunteering at church or for local charities is such a vital part of our faith. We are called, as disciples of God, to bring Christ to others. Spending time volunteering in your community can be quite a challenge when we live such busy lives, but when you compare it to the discipleship of Mary, it doesn’t seem so difficult. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions after the clock strikes midnight. Perhaps this year, your resolution could be for your faith. Let us take a new step forward, as an entire parish, to put God first in our lives and in the lives of those we love. If that is something you have already successfully done, then go one step further and give the gift of Christ to your community. Let us say “Yes” to God, just as Mary did so long ago. - Katie Baker

New Bible Study Starting January 5th Thursday 6:00-7:30pm in the Lower parish classrooms. Parishioners 18+ who would like to dive deeper into the Old Testament Prophets are welcome to join. Each participant will receive their own study book. Come grow in your faith with food and fellowship! Contact Allison Ramirez to register. allison@stbarbarachurch.org Discover the Messages the Prophets Have for You If God’s people had stayed close to him, there might have been no need for the prophets. God sent prophets at critical times to call the people back to their covenant relationship. Prophets proclaimed the consequences of continued sin, called people to repentance, and declared God’s faithful love. They also spoke of the future to shed light on current events and to reveal God’s plans and purposes. It is nearly impossible to understand the work and the message of Jesus without the prophetic books. In The Prophets: Messengers of God’s Mercy, presenter Thomas Smith examines who the prophets were, their role during their time, and the meaning of their messages for our own time. Discover how God is constantly calling you to a deeper relationship as well as the ways you are called to be the voice of God to others.

The Cemetery Prayer Service began in January 2022 and will continue on January 5th 2023. We meet at the Black Diamond Cemetery on the 1st Thursday of each month from 3:00-3:30pm. Please join us as we pray for all those who have died and/or those in purgatory. We start with some prayers, following with the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, or Stations of the Cross, which we alternate each month, while we walk the Black Diamond Cemetery. Northwest Catholic recently did an article about the service, Check It Out. Please contact Allison Ramirez for more information allison@stbarbarachurch.org

December 31st 5 pm Main Church Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary January 1st 8 & 10 am Main Church

The Archdiocese has given permission for parishes to offer consecrated wine during communion based on a personal choice. St. Barbara has started reintroducing both species during communion. All ministers are properly trained to wipe the cup between each person. Please, if you are feeling ill, refrain from receiving from the shared communion cup. Chalices were graciously donated by parishioners.

Consecrated low gluten hosts are available. For those that are gluten intolerant, please approach the altar on the “piano side”, following the consecration to receive communion with the Eucharistic ministers

Christmas Vigil & Day Dec. 25, 2022: Isaiah 52: 7-10; Hebrew 1:1-6; John 1:1-5,9-14. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn1:5). AS if by divine design, here in the USA, we celebrate Advent and Christmas during the darkest part of the year. That’s very symbolic! Darkness is humanity’s essential state. However, there is a”…light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…”(Jn.1:5). In other words, in the darkest most lifeless season, the light of day now begins to grow in length and strength. There is a promise of new life ahead. At the darkest point in our year, and in our lives, Christmas reminds us that there is no darkness powerful enough, to overwhelm the power of God’s light and love. Hence, our God is a God of endless life and hope. In Jesus, God has become EMMANUEL: always with us and always for us! Alleluia is our song! Significance: The most paramount symbols that are used to communicate to us the greatness of the birth of Jesus Christ in human history are the Christmas tree and Crib which commemorate the Incarnation of the Savior. The custom of placing them near each other alludes to paradise, the tree of life, next to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This reminds us of Adam’s creation, and of Christ, the new Adam, whose life is enclosed by the crib and cross. “Death came from the tree of paradise, and life resurrected from the tree of the Cross. Thus, the tree belongs to the birth, alluding to the Cross, the tree of life” (St. John Paul II). Life Message: One of the Christmas Psalm refrains says: “Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord” (Lk.2:11). The word “TODAY” keeps running through my mind, that surely, Christ was born over 2000 years ago, but today he is born for each one of us. Today he comes to each of us to the degree that we can open our hearts to him. Today he comes to us in those we love, in those we forgive, in those who cause us distress, in those we serve and care for. Today he comes to us in prayer, especially in our greatest prayer-The Mass, where we listen to his Word, and then he offers us himself, as our spiritual food and drink in the Holy Communion. Conclusion: Therefore, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, we reflect, with thankfulness to God, on all the blessings we have received in our lives. And so, with the humility of the shepherds, let’s set out towards the Child in the stable and touch God’s humility, God’s heart. Then his joy will touch us and make the world more radiant. For, “God made himself a baby so that we could understand him, welcome him, and love him… Christmas has become a feast of gifts in imitation of God, who has given himself to us. Let us allow our heart, soul, and mind to be touched by this fact” (Pope Benedict XVI). PRAYER: Therefore, let us share this old beautiful prayer before the presents under the Christmas tree are distributed and opened: “Our Heavenly Father, before we open our gifts, we want to thank you for making Christmas possible. We remember that you gave Jesus to the world, and that he began his earthly life in a family. Help us to make him known in the world today, by the love we show him and each other in this family. Just as the Christmas tree stays green in winter as well as summer, give us the power to be true to you at all times. May these presents make us grateful for the love of those who gave them. Reward with blessings all who do kind things for others. Because we know that happiness of Christmas can stay with us only while we are loving, loyal, and thankful, we ask these things in the name of the Christ Child, who is our Savior and Lord”. AMEN.

4 TH.Sunday of ADVENT Year (A) (Dec 18, 2022) Is 7:10-14; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24 “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel-God is with us.” Introduction: The story of the Virgin Birth is at the heart of our Christmas celebrations. Hence, today’s readings focus on the story of the Virgin Birth. In the 1 st . reading, God gives a sign through the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz of Judah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (Is 7:14). Matthew considers this one of the most descriptive and definite prophecies foretelling that the future Messianic king, the Christ, would be born as a descendant of David. The Refrain for today’s Resp. Psalm (Ps 24), “Let the Lord enter; He is King of Glory,” reminds us that, like Joseph, we must choose to let Jesus enter our hearts to rule our lives, for God never forces us to receive His gifts. Lesson: Today’s Gospel, from Matthew, focuses on the person and role of Joseph. In order for Jesus to fulfill the Messianic prophecy given by Isaiah, Joseph had to, and freely, willingly, did, accept Jesus as his son, making Jesus a descendant of David because Joseph was a descendant of David. Hence, Matthew makes it clear that Jesus was not the biological child of Joseph. But because Joseph was the husband of Mary at the time Jesus was born, and because he named and thus formally accepted the child as his own, Jesus was legally the son of Joseph and thus a descendant of David Life Message: We need to experience Emmanuel in our lives and change the world: God who entered our world through Jesus some 2000 years ago is at work in the world. But the question is, if God has come to be present in our lives and our world, then why are there so many lives which are unhappy? Why are people so hostile, hating each other, and why do so many love-relationships turn sour? Why is there domestic violence? Why is there child abuse? Why is there war in at least a dozen countries of God’s good earth at any given time? Why are so many people homeless and hungry, even in rich countries? The Good News, the consoling message of Christmas, is that the child Jesus still waits today to step into our hearts—your heart and mine—and to change us and the world around us by the beauty of God’s love, kindness, mercy and compassion. Let us take some time to let the Christ Child enter our hearts and lives this week, so that He may change our world of miseries with the beauty of that love. Conclusion: Let us be a Christmas gift to others: The greatest gift we can give to those we love, is to have faith in them, believe in their dreams, and try to help them realize them. We need to believe in the dreams of our husband, wife, children, parents, heroes, leaders, and friends, then try our best to help them realize those dreams.

One of the ways I like to prepare for Christmas each year is to read the Christmas story from Scripture. (I use the version found on the USCCB website: Books of the Bible | USCCB) . As you may know, Luke’s Gospel holds the story from Mary’s experience, and Matthew’s Gospel holds the story from Joseph’s experience. Both Gospels must be read to get the complete story. We start the story in Luke, chapter 2 (LK 2: 1-20) with the “Birth of Jesus” and the “Visit of the Shepherds”. We meet Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, and we realize they are in a stable, as Jesus is lying in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. (Spoiler alert: look in the scripture story, the innkeeper is never mentioned. Really!) The story moves on with the Shepherds out in the field just doing their job when an angel of the Lord appears to them. Their response is wonderful. See for yourself what their response was. How do you think you might respond? To continue the story, we must turn to Mathew’s Gospel, chapter 2 (MT 2: 1-12) to find the “Visit of the Magi”. Here we meet King Herod and the magi from the east. (Sorry, I have another spoiler alert: did you know there is no mention of “3”. Then again, there are three gifts.) I read the story over and over until I can ‘see’ it in my mind’s eye. If this were a play, who would I be? Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Shepard, Innkeeper, Herod, Magi? A person looking on from the street? As you take time to prepare for the coming of Jesus this last week before Christmas, have some fun with your family, read the story together and ask yourselves—who would you be in the story and why? - Valerie Winston Healy

My ministry journey has taken me to many destinations in the Northwest. I remember one winter in Wenatchee. My assignment was to work with the migrant families who were now permanently living in the area. Many of the youth, ages 7 -17, had moved frequently in their short lives and hadn’t had the opportunity to receive instruction for first reconciliation and first communion. Finally, their parents were able to gain year around work and they could take their classes. Finally, they would receive their sacraments. Finally, they would experience the mystery. Our meeting room was the bathroom of the single men’s dormitory, their parents met in the adjacent lunchroom area. The parent classes taught in Spanish, the youth classes in English. Week after week, I would come with homemade posters depicting bread and wine, hosts, and chalices to decorate the doors of the showers and stalls. We would sing, (and oh how we could sing in that bathroom), laugh, and study as we learned the importance of Jesus and the beauty of Eucharist. The excitement built, even in these simple surroundings. The day finally came for the youth to receive their sacraments. They were ready. They had put on their finest outfits, which for most were clean jeans and shirts; ironed and pressed. The “reconciliation room” was the kitchen of one of the family homes. One by one they crossed the gravel road to enter the kitchen for the priest to hear their confession. After reconciliation was complete, we gathered in the lunchroom for Mass. One simple guitar, played by a dad. Father’s simple traveling mass kit of chalice and ciborium. A cowboy hat used for the collection; a bandana offered for Father to take the collection home. Voices raised together to sing praises to our God. And proud parents who wanted their children to receive and have an encounter with Christ. This is one of my fondest memories from my years of ministry. It taught me so much about the presence and love of Christ. The desire of parents to pass on the faith. A faith freely given and freely received. How we are all called to join into the mystery and to be the Body of Christ in our world, together, no matter what we do, who we are, or where we come from. We are all one in the Lord, one in the God who created us. Thanks be to God. –By Valerie Winston Healy