Let me ask you, as we approach the last week of Advent, does your Christmas depend on anyone or anything other than Jesus ? If you ask many Christians today, they will respond that a wonderful happy Christmas depends on family, friends, presents, parties, money or food. While we thank God for all these wonderful temporal gifts, we should not depend upon them for a successful Christmas. If we were like Job and lost everything, or if we were impoverished or homeless, we could still have Christmas because nothing can separate us from Christ’s love.
Many people have lost their jobs this past year or have reduced incomes due to the pandemic. I am not saying these scenarios are something we would wish on anyone. However sometimes we don’t realize we are carrying certain expectations until they are not met. Sometimes we experience disappointments or loss that’s hard to cope with. Many years ago I was let go from my job the week before Christmas. It’s during these times that we realize how much Jesus is extending his love to us.
This advent, perhaps you may not be able to do all you were hoping to accomplish or provide for your loved ones. You too may have unmet expectations. This will be one of the first years I will not be able to attend midnight Mass due to the quarantine. So let us ask the Lord for the grace to believe he will be working in every situation, whether you anticipated it or not. Open your hearts and let him reveal his incredible love to you this year of COVID-19. He is the one who is to come ! There is no need to look anywhere else !
DeColores, Deacon Doug
Join us in prayer!
We encourage you to join us as we recite the Holy Rosary every night at 8PM! On Wednesdays, we pray the rosary via Zoom with the rector and rectora.
Resources for those not able to attend Mass
Daily Readings in English and Spanish from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Prayers, readings for Mass, and additional spiritual readings are available at:
“Give Us This Day” a digital file of their periodical, which includes daily Mass texts. Visit GUTD.net and select “Digital” in the upper right of the screen.
