Make Way!
Advent's second Sunday
Announcements for December 4, 2021:
One of the best ways to experience the full beauty of Advent is to enter into prayer on the great story of the Scriptures that is crowned by Christ's coming. That's what Lessons and Carols accomplishes. Join us December 12th at 3:00pm in the church for an unforgettable experience.
The new OLMC stained-glass ornament has arrived. For purchase, check it out in our online store, or fill out the form in the narthex of the church. Ornaments will also be sold after Masses the weekends of December 11th and 18th.
Our Mass schedule for the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation, is:
Tuesday, December 7th: Vigil Mass at 7:00pm (English)
Wednesday, December 8th: Masses at 8:00am and 12:00pm (English) and at 7:00pm (Spanish)
Our Next Youth Ministry gathering will be held on Friday December 10th at 7:00pm in the school gym. Feel free to be in touch with me for more information.
Visit our Parishioner Portal for all of our recent announcements.
Dear Saints,
As you know, I love John the Baptist. Things are are never dull when he's around... and he's back this weekend!
We find reference to John the Baptist in the work of Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, but most of what we know about him comes from the canonical Gospels.
In the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we find John fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah: He is the "voice of one crying out in the desert..." in preparation for the rule of God's anointed king.
My favorite translation of that prophecy reads, "A shout goes up in the desert: Make way for the Lord! Clear a straight path for him!"
Make way for the Lord! Is there a better Advent theme than that?
John calls the crowds to repentance. It's worth our while to consider what that means.
The Greek word translated as repent is metanoia. The full sense of the word implies a change at the very center of one's being, and includes a change in one's way of life.
The kind of life change we're called to is not just challenging -- without Jesus it's impossible. Only with Jesus, who lived God's way of life perfectly and gives us the strength to follow him in faith, can we turn from our own (self-seeking) ways to God's (self-giving) way.
The Church makes John's exhortation her own this Advent: Repent! Clear a straight path for our coming king!
I look forward to seeing you very soon, my friends. We'll heed the call of John the Baptist together!
Christ's Peace,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
PS Our Marian Antiphon for the Advent season is the Alma Redemptoris Mater. Check it out here.
PPS For some practical ways to clear a straight path for Jesus this Advent, check out this recent article from Mike Aquilina.
Preparing for Mass?
Check out this weekend's readings:
Second Sunday of Advent