Beloved in Christ,
"Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come! (Mt. 24:42).
The next four weeks of Advent are a period of preparation for the commemoration of the Lord's first coming. It is also an intense spiritual season for highlighting the necessity of staying alert for the second coming of Jesus Christ. We stay awake and keep running the salvation race that culminates in meeting Jesus Christ at the end of our earthly time. It is possible and most likely that we get tired, distracted, or derailed along the way, hence our need for spiritual support to keep us running toward Jesus Christ, our goal. Our parish provides this spiritual support during this season of awakening by offering more time and opportunities for prayers, penance, and purification. Opportunities are provided to us to prayerfully attend daily masses, go to confession in between Sunday masses and other indicated times, and give sacrificially to those most in need in our community.
Sin, the works of darkness (Rom 13:12), deadens our alertness to Christ’s presence and restrains running to meet him; therefore, we need to throw off the shawl of sin to stay awake! (Mt. 24:42). And then, we can go rejoicing to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1). Let’s stream toward the mountain of the Lord’s house; energized by prayers and penance, let’s run forth to meet Christ as we kick off our Advent season this Sunday.
To aid us in running closer to union with Christ, to assist us in overcoming the dominion of sin in our lives, to help us stay alert and focused on Jesus, as we await his coming, we offer to the parish many gates to grace:
*Masses are celebrated daily. If God gives you the time and health, attend daily masses.
*Participate in daily eucharistic adoration from 7 am before weekday masses.
*Please plan to attend our monthly Eucharistic adoration on Monday, December 1.
*Get an Advent wreath candle, light one each week, and gather as a family around it to pray.
*There are opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation between masses on Sunday, and especially at our parish Advent penance service on December 12.
*The international Irish Tenor, Mark Forrest, will lead a Eucharistic-centered parish mission on Monday, December 15th. You don't want to miss the hour of grace.
*Create time for silence and meditation on the coming of Jesus by reading the relevant scripture passages daily.
*Advent has a penitential character (hence, no Gloria at Sunday masses, a limited display of flowers, purple vestments, etc), so make spiritual sacrifices and penance.
May your Advent season be filled with hope, peace, joy, and love.
In Christ our Hope,
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP
"Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come! (Mt. 24:42).
The next four weeks of Advent are a period of preparation for the commemoration of the Lord's first coming. It is also an intense spiritual season for highlighting the necessity of staying alert for the second coming of Jesus Christ. We stay awake and keep running the salvation race that culminates in meeting Jesus Christ at the end of our earthly time. It is possible and most likely that we get tired, distracted, or derailed along the way, hence our need for spiritual support to keep us running toward Jesus Christ, our goal. Our parish provides this spiritual support during this season of awakening by offering more time and opportunities for prayers, penance, and purification. Opportunities are provided to us to prayerfully attend daily masses, go to confession in between Sunday masses and other indicated times, and give sacrificially to those most in need in our community.
Sin, the works of darkness (Rom 13:12), deadens our alertness to Christ’s presence and restrains running to meet him; therefore, we need to throw off the shawl of sin to stay awake! (Mt. 24:42). And then, we can go rejoicing to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1). Let’s stream toward the mountain of the Lord’s house; energized by prayers and penance, let’s run forth to meet Christ as we kick off our Advent season this Sunday.
To aid us in running closer to union with Christ, to assist us in overcoming the dominion of sin in our lives, to help us stay alert and focused on Jesus, as we await his coming, we offer to the parish many gates to grace:
*Masses are celebrated daily. If God gives you the time and health, attend daily masses.
*Participate in daily eucharistic adoration from 7 am before weekday masses.
*Please plan to attend our monthly Eucharistic adoration on Monday, December 1.
*Get an Advent wreath candle, light one each week, and gather as a family around it to pray.
*There are opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation between masses on Sunday, and especially at our parish Advent penance service on December 12.
*The international Irish Tenor, Mark Forrest, will lead a Eucharistic-centered parish mission on Monday, December 15th. You don't want to miss the hour of grace.
*Create time for silence and meditation on the coming of Jesus by reading the relevant scripture passages daily.
*Advent has a penitential character (hence, no Gloria at Sunday masses, a limited display of flowers, purple vestments, etc), so make spiritual sacrifices and penance.
May your Advent season be filled with hope, peace, joy, and love.
In Christ our Hope,
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP
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