Advent: Prepare

This weekend we continue our Advent message series on how we can Prepare for Christmas. As we approach Christmas, we discuss how to truly prepare for the season, not by wrapping presents and planning gatherings, but by preparing our hearts anew for the true gift of Jesus and His merciful heart. This is a time for reflection on the arrival of Jesus, not just His birth, but His second-coming. Are you ready to meet Him? In this Advent series, we walk through ways to make this a spiritually enriching season by challenging lukewarmness, “Be vigilant”; by removing the obstacles to relationship with Jesus, Prepare the way”; by growing in joyful anticipation, “Be expectant”; and finally, as we “Prepare for the visitor” by considering how to invite our family into the deeper meaning of Christmas.

An important part of preparing for Christmas is preparing the way for the Christ Child. The baby Jesus is the Messiah or the one who came to save us in ways that we could not save ourselves. If we are preparing for the Messiah then we should prepare the path for the Messiah. In this weekend's Gospel we hear how "John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:  A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God"". St. John the the Baptist was someone who realized his need for God and relied on God. The challenge most human beings have is we are self reliant and do not realize we need to be saved. John the Baptist helped people realize their sinfulness and that they could not save themselves. This is why we have the sacrament of confession/reconciliation. This sacrament helps us to let go of our self reliance and to rely more fully on God. I invite you to go to confession during this Advent Season.

To Prepare the Way for the Lord, I invite you to attend our Advent Penance Service on Wednesday, December 18th at 7 PM. It is a great time to confess your self reliance and to prepare yourself to rely more fully on Jesus. 

Thank you to everyone who has already filled out a commitment card for our parish mission of helping to Worship God, Serve Others and Form Disciples. If you are looking to make an end of the year contribution this is also the time to do so. If you are not yet signed up to give electronically then I invite you to commit to signing up to giving electronically here: https://www.givecentral.org/customizable-online-giving/1294/event/31959
If you are looking to learn more about managing your finances and would like to commit to a free course on how to get out of debt or to better manage your money then I invite you to commit to taking a FREE Wallet Win course at: walletwin.com/albert


Let us Prepare the Way for the Lord by going to confession,
Fr. Charlie