Sunday, December 26, 2010

Holy Family

The feast of the Holy Family gives us the opportunity to ponder the mystery of the Incarnation, that the Son of God would submit Himself to a human father and mother. The Holy Family thereby provides a model of all families - bonded by their mutual love and obedience to the Heavenly Father's will and plan.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Fourth Sunday of Advent

His name shall be Jesus... What is in a name? The Angel announces to St. Joseph that the child conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary is by the Holy Spirit, and that His name will be Jesus - God Saves. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity not only is "God with us" Emmanuel, but is the reminder that God longs to save His people. His purpose, is His name.
Few of us are so blessed to have our names reveal our vocations. But the Lord, all the same, calls us my our names. More than an unique identifier, He gives us an unique purpose in life. Like St. Joseph, we are invited to accept Jesus and Mary into our lives, and like him, may we live our vocations out!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Third Sunday in Advent

Rejoice and be glad, Christ reveals Himself as the one who is to come, and provides the proof: The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. The Lord Jesus made these happen in His day. He does the same in our day. What proof is He giving to us to show that He is real, and are we able to follow Him?

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Second Sunday of Advent 2010

Prepare the way of the Lord... The Baptist's cry, in fact his whole life, was an invitation to the people to prepare their hearts and minds for the Messiah. It is not enough, though, to simply acknowledge one's sins, but to produce the fruits of repentance: Forgiveness, love, charity, just to name a few. We ask the Lord to help us produce those fruits, and we also ask John's intercession, that like him, that we may recognize Christ who comes to us in mystery (John recognized Jesus Christ while in the womb).