The Right Direction!!!!

The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah.  John the Baptist was the herald, the forerunner of the Messiah.  When Jesus appeared, John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."  What the prophets and John the Baptist did is what we are called to do in our lives, point people in the right direction, and the right direction is JESUS Christ.  Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."  Even St. Peter said, "You have the words of everlasting life!"  I can write about it or talk about it, but what gets people's attention is when I live.  We need to practice what we preach.  Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is a tremendous example for us.  He not only has the words for us, but he has the actions to back it up.  In thought, word, and deed, we need to focus on the right direction and that is life in Jesus Christ!!!!!!!  God Bless our journey!!!!

Living our Baptism Everyday

As we celebrate the Baptism of The Lord and bring our CHRISTMAS Time to a close, it is a good reminder to live our baptismal call every day of our lives!  There is great responsibility when it comes to baptism for parents, godparents, and the body of Christ.  Those who are baptized in our respective parishes will look to us as an example of how we live our lives and our faith.  The words used in the Rite of Baptism are more than words, they are a way of life.  Parents  and godparents need to take this responsibility to heart.  When the priest or Deacon asks the parents "If they clearly understand what they are undertaking," they need to take that to heart.  You need to get your child to church, pray with them everyday, teach them about the faith.  Parents are the primary educators of their children.  The church, schools, religious education programs are there to help, but they should not be the sole provider.  The parents need to live their own baptismal call and guide their child in the ways of faith.  Pope Francis recently encouraged the faithful to find out their baptismal date and celebrate it because that began our journey in the faith and it never ends.  We keep living our faith to the fullest and God will know when that journey ends.  May this renew us to live our baptismal call to the fullest and be an example to one another!!!!

New Beginnings

Many programs have been looking back to the year that we are about to conclude.  We look at what has happened, the good and the bad.  Each situation shows why we need our faith and our trust in God.  Let us thank God for the gifts and blessings that we have received.  Now we move to a new year, 2014!  What will happen in this year?  What lies ahead?  Many questions, but no answers.  One thing is certain, God is there every step of the way and we need to do our part to move out of the way and let God work in our lives!  We like to be in control or we think that we don't need God until something happens!  My friends, it would be worth our while to get out of that mind set right here and right now, because everything is in the palm of God's hand and it goes according to His time.  I need God every second, minute, hour of every day and I would presume, you do too, but many are lax to recognize it.  Our lives and our reactions would be a lot different if we looked at life from this perspective, God is in control and we need Him!!!!  I ask our loving and merciful God to bless you as we begin this new year.  Mary, the Holy Mother of God, pray for us!!!!

CHRISTMAS Time

We have arrived at CHRISTMAS week!!!!!  I want to wish everyone a Blessed and Joyous CHRISTMAS!!!  When I think of this time being joyful, I think of the word JOY!!!  It is more than just a word, it is a way of life.  A friend told me some time ago this is what JOY stands for J=Jesus, O=Others, Y=You!!!!!!!  Perhaps is we put Jesus first in our lives, along with others, than we can be a well rounded you!!!  I pray that the newborn King will bless you and yours during this CHRISTMAS Time!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Blessed Virgin Mary

This week, we celebrate our Blessed Mother in two feasts.  December 9 is the transferred Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Since the Second SUNDAY of Advent fell on December 8, the SUNDAY took precedence, so the feast was moved to today.  With the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate Mary being conceived without original sin in the womb of her mother, St. Anne.  Mary was kept free from sin so that she would be a worthy dwelling for God's only Son.  The Gospel from Luke on this day is the Annunciation and Mary's "Yes" to the will of God.  Her example is one that we can follow in our lives because we are called to say "Yes" and follow God's will in our own lives.  On Thursday, December 12, the Church will celebrate the memorial do Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Mary is the mother and patroness of the Americas.  Truly a great week to rejoice and give thanks to God as we continue our journey to the CHRISTMAS Season.  Mary is a great model and example for us.  May she intercede for us as we live our lives and faith each day!!!

Prepare the Way!!!!

Saint John the Baptist appears in the desert proclaiming a message of repentance and telling his hearers to prepare the way of The Lord!!!  That is what this Advent Time is about.  Of course, everyday for that matter.  We need to be prepared for the coming of The Lord.  We need to make sure our house is in order so that when The Lord returns he will find us watching and waiting.  There are a lot of distractions in the world today.  Many voices calling out to us to seek the goods of this world.  Ah, but there is only one voice we need to listen to and that is the voice of The Lord.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.  He has the words of everlasting life.  Another important point that we need to remember is that in preparing for The Lord, it is not just his return, but also the hour of our death.  Those are two unknowns, so let us make sure we are ready for both.  The message from John the Baptist and Jesus is still the same.  Are we listening?

Advent Begins!!!!

This is a new beginning for us as we begin the Advent Season!!!!  What can we do to make this a meaningful time for each of us?  I think the readings for this First SUNDAY of Advent set the tone.  We need to be alert, prepared, and ready.  Jesus is coming again, not as an infant which we celebrate at CHRISTMAS time, but in all his glory.  There are two unknowns that we need to prepare for- the return of our Lord or the hour of our death.  The Lord did not tell us when or how this will happen, but we need to be ready and that means to live our lives accordingly.  Let this Advent Season be a time of renewal.  Take the time to examine your lives and your conscience and when the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered, get there to be reconciled with God and the body of Christ.  God and the Church gives us the graces and sacraments that we need so do not take them for granted.  Being prepared and ready is the key message for all of us because we do not know so tell your family and friends how much you love them, care about them, and how important they are to you.  Do not let this time be one of regret but one of hope and renewal.  May God bless us as we begin this Advent journey!!!