Hope

My dear friends in Christ,

Advent is a time of waiting, longing, and begging. It is a time to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” We look forward to celebrating the first coming of Jesus at Christmas. We look forward with hope to the second coming of Jesus in His glory. We seek out Jesus here and now in the Mass, when He comes to us in the Eucharist. We seek out Jesus in the people and events of our lives, when He comes to us in ordinary ways. We seek out Jesus now more than ever in this time of Pandemic. The uncertainty of the Coronavirus and its impact on our families has weighed heavily on our minds. Even with the precautions, we do not know if we are exposed because the virus is in the air. That is why we must be diligent in washing our hands, wearing a mask, and social distancing. I wonder how Jesus would react some 2000 years ago when He came into this world as a baby to live and die for us. In times of trial, Jesus comes into our lives and we know that He will come back again to judge the living and the dead. As we wait and prepare for our Lord, know that this year will be quite different. There will be no planned celebratory events or celebrations. We will have the lighting of the Christmas Tree next Saturday following the 4:00 PM Mass but will not be able to serve refreshments. We must pray for one another as we wait for the coming of our Lord, the infant Jesus, at Christmas!

May God bless you all,

Father John