Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” As we enter these final days of Advent, our preparation for the coming of the Lord continues. It is a hope-filled preparation. Hope implies our belief that what we expect will indeed occur. We expect the birth of our Savior on Christmas Day, we are confident that the Lord comes to save His people. Throughout the Old Testament, we see testimony that God desires to redeem Israel, His chosen people. The covenant God makes with Abraham is…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we enter the third week of Advent, we are reminded to rejoice, for the Lord’s arrival in time and history is very near. His forerunner, John the Baptist, gives a powerful prescription for finding joy. The people come to him as he baptizes at the Jordan and ask what they ought to do. Having heard his call to repentance and received baptism, they want to know how they can continue their conversion and stay strong in their resolve. John gives a twofold answer. First, he tells them to share what they have, to…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, John the Baptist, the great forerunner of the Messiah, is heard in the Gospel today identifying himself with the prophecy of Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert:’ Prepare the way of the Lord’.” His sacred, prophetic task, is to call all who hear him to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christ. To accomplish this, John calls the people to repentance, to conversion of life, and to baptism. His baptism is the outward sign of a heart that desires to change, of a soul turning away from sin and…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The year of grace 2019 begins this weekend with the celebration of the first Sunday of Advent. As you know, the Advent season is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord at Christmas. Additionally, it is a season in which we look forward to His second coming in glory at the end of time. Throughout these four weeks, we are invited to prepare our hearts, minds, and homes to welcome Christ our Savior. The violet vestment is used throughout this holy season to remind us of our need to spiritually prepare.…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The last two weeks of November coincide happily with some beautiful reflections the Church offers us as the liturgical year winds to a close. The readings last weekend called our attention to the end of all things, the consummation of the world. We were reminded to be prepared for the end, for the coming in glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nationally, we celebrated the great feast of Thanksgiving, a day on which we are invited to join in giving thanks to Almighty God for the blessings of the year. This act of giving…read more