First Sunday of Advent Homily

The First Sunday of Advent has arrived. It is forever a time of joyful anticipation and we are called, as Church, to make it so.

Unlike Lent, Advent's focus is on preparing for Christ not only at Christmas time, but also preparing to welcome Our Lord when he comes to fulfill his Kingdom on earth.

We are challenged in this First Sunday of Lent to find the grace necessary to see those things in our lives which we may be blind too that can inhibit our being able to fully be ready for when Our Lord comes. We have no idea when this may be and so we remain watchful and vigilant.

Here is my homily for the First Sunday of Advent:

Feast of the Holy Family Homily

This weekend the Church puts before us the Feast of the Holy Family. It is an opportunity for us to look to Joseph, Mary and the child Jesus for direction, hope and comfort.

Our families, more or less, are challenging. They require attention and perserverance in order to grow into healthy reflections of God's love for the world.

On this feast I pray for your families, wherever they may be. They are remembered at this moment of grace and I have no doubt that God will continue to guide you in the days which are ahead.

In thanksgiving for the gift of family I offer you these words:

Homily - Advent & John the Baptist: Are We Willing to Reveal Jesus to Others?

This Sunday finds us celebrating the Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday. It simply means to "Rejoice" at the presence of the Lord.

We hear about John the Baptist this weekend; a pivotal person in the life of the Messiah.

John's message was clear: "Prepare the way for the Lord!"

We have taken much time over these last weeks in contemplating the coming of Christmas; the Birth of Christ - not only in history, but the coming of Christ at the end of time. How do we hear John's message in this Sunday's Gospel? Is there something there that we can encourage ourselves with today?

Are we willing, like St. John, to announce the coming of Christ in our lives as christians? Do we make His presence known?

I have found the emergence of the popular greeting, "Happy Holidays" to be worrisome. Are we as christians settling for a watered down version of the Christmas Message in order to not make waves in the culture in which we live? It is "Christ"mas, afterall.

I ask myself if I am willing to stand for my belief? An acknowledgment that God's Son came into the world that I might have life and a life to the full. I owe my life, such as it is, to God. God's grace alone keeps me, at least, serene and sober. Can I not have the freedom to acknowledge God's greatest and most lasting gift to the world when afterall it is His birthday I celebrate?

Pray for the grace to stand like those who have gone before us to pass on our faith. Pray for the grace to acknowledge the source and summit of this "holiday" and be grateful to say, "Merry Christmas."

Homily:

Advent Homilies on Line...Finally

At long last I have managed to go digital with some homilies.

I have included here both homilies at St. Ann's Parish in Flin Flon, MB from the First & Second Sundays of Advent.

Let me know what you think of the format if you have the time.

Here they are:

First Sunday of Advent:
Second Sunday of Advent: