Friday, December 6

Friday of the First Week of Advent | Christy Cabaniss

As we move into the season of Advent, our Scriptures call us to see what is around us today. Each reading from Isaiah, to the Psalm, and our Gospel from Matthew speak about seeing. Even the Alleluia has a visual tone. What does it mean to open our eyes, not just opening our physical eyes, but what of opening our spiritual eyes? This particular season is all about the preparation, so looking closer is exactly what we are supposed to be doing.

Thursday, December 5

Thursday of the First Week of Advent | Christina Gaarder

The passage from Matthew sends us a powerful message. As I often say to my children, “I need you to internalize what I’m telling you.” Jesus is telling us the same thing. It is not enough to hear Him, we must internalize the message and bring it to life.

Wednesday, December 4

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent | David and Karen Banta

Whether it was the manna provided to Moses and the Israelites as they wandered through the desert for forty years or Jesus satisfying the hunger of his followers with fish and bread, our heavenly Father knows our needs and will always provide for us because of His boundless love.

Tuesday, December 3

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent | Fritz Bauerschmidt

The prophet Isaiah says of the Spirit-filled savior whom God will send, “not by appearance shall he judge.” Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, shows himself to be that Spirit-filled savior, who does not let appearances deceive him, for he recognizes that God’s truth is not revealed to those whom the world counts as wise, but to “the childlike.”

Monday, December 2

Monday of the First Week of Advent | Ximena DeBroeck

"“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof”...We echo these words of the centurion every time we receive Communion... But, have you ever thought that we echo the words of a Roman citizen who would have been considered a ‘pagan’ in that day? Nevertheless, this man has much to teach us. This centurion, recognized Jesus’ authority and trusted that he could cure his servant. He modeled a disposition of complete trust and humility. The centurion knew that if the Lord entered his house and brought healing, it was not because of his worth, but simply because of Jesus’ generosity."

Sunday, December 1

Sunday of the First Week of Advent | Joe Buttarazzi

"It seems easy to get carried away by the apocalyptic tone of today’s Gospel passage. It’s like a scene from a bad movie where someone is running from something terrible and yells to no one in particular, “Watch out! A mysterious event is coming any day that will sweep half of us away, like a thief in the night! AAHHH!” This end-times view is a tiresome trope. Let’s tackle this from a slightly different angle, and see if we can replace the dread of the eschaton with the hope that is the hallmark of the Advent season."

Sunday, November 24

Kingship

Today we come to the end of our liturgical year with this feast of Christ the King. Interestingly, the gospel focuses not on Jesus’ resurrection, but on his crucifixion. Why is that? After all, the disciples only come to faith and an understanding of his kingship after experiencing him as resurrected. But it is in his very crucifixion that he is established as “king.” He subverts the traditional notion of kingship through his ministry and rules through his service to others. In his death he spurns the typical notion of other kings who rule through violence and conquest. Instead he rules with love and mercy, ultimately embracing the deadly violence of the world and willingly submitting to a cruel and painful death.

Sunday, November 17

Perseverance

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, today’s readings paint a picture of the end time: nation rising against nation, plagues, famines, great signs, persecutions and trials. The biblical “day of the Lord” will be a time, as Malachi tells us, “when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire” (3: 19). But are these signs new? What age has been absent of these types of calamities? In reading these words, I cannot help but recall the R.E.M. tune “It’s the end of the world as we know it.” The song lyrics speak of earthquakes, hurricanes and the world serving its own needs. It paints a picture of chaos and disharmony, similar to that of the scriptures. Nearly two thousand years have passed since the writing of Luke’s Gospel, and we are still waiting for “the end.” So what are these texts trying to tell us?

Thursday, November 14

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thank you to all of this year’s Homecoming sponsors! Without your support this annual weekend of fellowship and celebration would not be possible. We are truly grateful for your generosity and dedication to this great parish.

Sunday, November 10

Alive

The Day of the Dead is a central celebration of our Mexican brothers and sisters that occurred at the beginning of this month (10/31-11/02). This multi-day celebration involves gathering with friends and family to remember their deceased relatives and celebrate their lives, often times in the graveyards where they are buried. Their practice echoes the early Christian practice of celebrating Mass in the catacombs with those heroic martyrs whose witness and life inspired the early community and whose memories they wished to keep alive.