Attention there was a mistake on this weeks bulletin: On Friday the 8th December for the feast of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

the morning mass is at 7:00 am(not 8:00 am) 

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First Sunday,

Advent Year B

     Today we begin our new year in the Church. We begin and end the year with readings reminding us that we get ready and wake up. The message is urgent, now is the time to respond to the Gospel. We do not know when the Lord will come, but if we are always ready to receive him, the time is not important.

     We are living in the times predicted by the prophets. We are living in the times in which the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled. Once Jesus told his disciples: "how many people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear". We are living in the times in which we have access to the Word of God. When God communicates directly with us through his own human life. God is with us, but many do not care and many do not want to listen or see. We ignore the Son of God, because we prefer to be in the dark instead of living by the light.

Listen to what the Lord Jesus says to us today: "Watch and be prepared, because you do not know when the time will come"

The Lord's message to us is urgent. Now is the time for us to respond, tomorrow may be too late.

Saint Paul writes in one of his letters: " And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light. "(Roman 13:11-12)

     The Church reminds us that preparing for the coming of Christ is very important. Jesus is not just another prophet, he is God with us(Emmanuel) and he tells us that we have to be prepared for the things that are going to happen. Jesus has left us with all the advantages to arrive safely in his kingdom. His word is true and his sacraments are safe, but many ignore the gifts he has given us for our good, let us not be counted among those who ignore this help.

Knowing that God sees everything, even the things that seem most hidden, we must live our lives as children of light, avoiding the things that are selfish and shameful.

Now is the time to prepare for the coming of Jesus. We prepare ourselves to receive the Lord, who wants to be born again in our hearts.

He also lives in reality in the smallest of our brothers and sisters. As we heard last Sunday, we will be asked to give an account of our service to Jesus. "What you did for the least of my brothers did it for me." We hope that when the Lord comes, he will find us busy doing the works he has left us to do. When we respond to our brothers and sisters in need, we are witnessing the works that the Lord has left us to do. We hope he arrives and finds us doing his works.

Amen