Fourth Sunday of Advent

Thoughts from Fr. Bill…….

Dear friends, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent our readings inform us
that our salvation comes from unlikely places: Bethlehem is too small,
and a young virgin and her barren cousin meet in a small-town in Israel.
What good can come from any of this? And yet, it is through these
seemingly insignificant people and places that God has chosen to act
decisively in human history. Are we open to God’s actions in unlikely
place of our own lives?

As we celebrate The Nativity of the Lord on Tuesday, December 25 we
can exclaim: Christmas has come! Today we celebrate the mystery of
the incarnation, when God became human in Jesus and we on Earth saw
the face of God. No wonder Angels announced the news! Our great and
mighty God came to us in a humble stable, not in an opulent palace. No
wonder shepherds rejoiced! As we gather with family and friends to
celebrate Christmas may you spend time marveling at how much God
loves us, and praise God for the Wonderful gift of such love. MERRY
CHRISTMAS!

As we continue to pray for the families and friends from Newtown, CT,
here is a Christmas prayer written by a wonderful Christian author, Max
Lucado: Dear Jesus, it’s a good thing you were born at night. This
world seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem
dimmer lately. These killings Lord. These children Lord. Innocence
violated . Raw evil demonstrated. The whole world seems on edge.
Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and
nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation? Your
world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark,
right? You came at night. The Shepherds were nightshift workers. The
Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows.
To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark.
Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with
poverty. Dark with violence. Herod went on a rampage, killing babies.
Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before
you were a Nazarene. Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world
of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We,
like the wise men are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are
kneeling at a manger. This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be
born anew in us……Hopefully…your children…Amen.

Praying this week’s Christmas Day Psalm Response, A light will shine
on us: the Lord is born! Will help us to celebrate the light that the birth
of Jesus brought to our world!

Here we go Steelers here we go!

Fr. Bill
Peace

Trying to live a full life in the service of the Lord,
failing frequently and falling on the mercy of God each time….