Advent means “coming”, “arrival”; the Advent season has three thrusts:

1. yesterday @ Bethlehem when the Son of God was born of Mary,
2. today in our world, in our time - Jesus is always incarnate,
3. tomorrow when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, returns in glory.

May God Be Praised!

“Even in the dark cold stable Mary and Joseph were close to the Lord. In the darkness of our lives it is best to stay close to Jesus.”  St. Francis de Sales

May God Be Praised!

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."  
                                                [St. Francis de Sales]


Wise advice for the Advent Season!


May God Be Praised!

A few years ago Pope Francis offered some suggestions to help us live better lives, maybe this Advent we could try to use them.
Pope Francis suggested signs of tenderness, affection & compassion, a warm supper, an early lunch awaiting someone who has to go to work early, a blessing before bed, a hug after returning home from work.   
“Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs that make us feel at home.  Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love.  That is why our families … are true domestic churches.” 
1. “Live and let live.” Everyone should be guided by this principle, he said, which has a similar expression in Rome with the saying, “Move forward and let others do the same.”
2. “Be giving of yourself to others.
3. “Proceed calmly” in life. 
4. A healthy sense of leisure. The Pope said “consumerism has brought us anxiety”, and told parents to set aside time to play with their children and turn of the TV when they sit down to eat.
5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because “Sunday is for family,” he said.
6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people
7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation “is one of the biggest challenges we have,” he said.
8. Stop being negative. “Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy.”
9. Don’t proselytize; respect others’ beliefs. “We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. The church grows by attraction, not proselytizing,” the Pope said. 10. Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars,” he said, and “the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive” and dynamic.

May God Be Praised!

 ADVENT 2018








St. Luke tells us, “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”

Advent reminds us that our time on earth is precious and that our HOPE rests on Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.

The Kingdom of God is built on selflessness, and Christ showed us how to live that kind of life.
Advent calls us to renew and deepen our life as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Little things, the Little Way and the Little Virtues will help us reflect on how we are living as disciples of the Lord!

May God Be Praised!

Every year we celebrate the holy season of Advent, O God. Every year we pray those beautiful prayers of longing and waiting, and sing those lovely songs of hope and promise. Every year we roll up all our needs and yearnings and faithful expectation into one word: “Come!”
And yet, what a strange prayer this is! After all, you have already come and pitched your tent among us. You have already shared our life with its little joys, its long days of tedious routine, its bitter end.  Could we invite you to anything more than this with our “Come”?
Could you approach any nearer to us than you did when you became the “Son of Man”? In spite of all this we still pray: “Come.”   Karl Rahner


During this Advent spend a little quiet time with the Lord, sitting in His presence waiting for Him - who has already Come!  You will find the Lord in the stillness of your soul.


May God Be Praised!

"Nothing is sweeter than love; nothing stronger, nothing higher, nothing more generous, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in Heaven or on earth; for love proceeds from God and cannot rest but in God above all things created."  [Thomas a' Kempis]

May God Be Praised!