This week we are reminded that God brings light into darkness that He does not leave us alone but is near even in hard times. Isaiah tells us about a people who once lived in gloom but now see light. Jesus begins preaching and calling his first followers and He brings light to Galilee, a place people often forgot about. Jesus tells them to turn their lives around and follow him and His message is simple but clear: the kingdom of heaven is close. Saint Paul tells us to stop fighting and focus on Jesus because we belong to Christ and not to any group or leader.

Dear Parish Family,

In this season of celebrating the coming of the Light of God to all nations, we realize the message from Sacred Scripture is not just for the people in the days of Jesus, but for today as well.

The news of the death of John the Baptist saddened Jesus, but prompted him to retreat, and see that the prophecy from Isaiah be fulfilled. John the Baptist was martyred for the sake of the Light, God Himself. Jesus like John was drawn to the mission of God, the very reason He who is God came into the world.

This Sunday we hear that God calls people for a purpose. Isaiah, a servant, and a faithful person listens and obeys God. We also hear how John the Baptist points to Jesus while calling Him the Lamb of God. Each person has a part in God's plan. John the Baptist sees the Spirit come down on Jesus. He tells everyone that Jesus is the Son of God. This moment shows us who Jesus is and why he came. God chose him, and now he is ready to bring light and life to others. Paul also reminds the people in Corinth that they are holy and called and this message is for us too.

Dear Parish Family,

Though we are back to Ordinary Time for just a few short weeks, we are still reflective of where we've been recently. We also concern ourselves with Quo Vadis, in Latin where are you going? Well for us collectively we are headed to Lent, but in the meantime, we are called to relish in the presence of Jesus among us as one of us.

The Baptism of the Lord reminds us of who Jesus is and what He came to do. He walks into the Jordan River, not because He needs to, but to show us the way. This moment tells us that Jesus is ready to serve. He stands with us, not above us. As He comes out of the water, something amazing happens. The Holy Spirit comes down like a dove. God speaks from heaven and calls Jesus His beloved Son. This is the first clear sign that Jesus is sent by God to bring peace and healing.

Today marks the end of the Christmas Season, but it does not mean what we celebrated has ended. We have become renewed in the hope of the Incarnation, and the profound reality that God loved us so much He became one of us by taking on human form. The spirit of Epiphany lives on in the reality of His manifestation in the world, and our awakening to His presence.

Today we celebrate The Epiphany of Our Lord, and it is a feast that celebrates Jesus being made known to the world. It remembers the visit of the magi, also called wise men, who traveled from far away to find the newborn King. They followed a star that led them to Jesus. This story reminds us that Jesus came for all people. The magi were not Jewish, but they were still welcomed. They brought gifts and knelt before Jesus. This shows that anyone who seeks the truth can come to Him.

Epiphany is here and marks the twelfth day of Christmas. The feast day traditionally falls on January 6th but had been moved to the nearest Sunday. This was an attempt to have more people attend Mass. Today marks the visitation of the Three Magi and is most significant because we witness that the message of salvation causes us to be awakened and responsive to the voice of God. Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zacharias, and the shepherds in the field all encountered the voice of God via an angel or in a dream.

Reflecting on the Feast of The Holy Family should encourage us to look at our own family relationships with faith and humility. It invites us to honor each other, show compassion, and trust in God's plan. By embracing these values, we can build stronger, more loving families rooted in faith and respect. Today we honor Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model of faith and love. We are reminded, that Jesus lived in a real family.

Dear St. Catherine Laboure Family,

The beauty of Christmas is not that it's limited to only one day, the sentiment of these holy days unfolds for us deeper hope, deeper peace, deeper joy, and the most deepest love. These pillars given to us at Advent are never lost but continue with us as we deepen our love of God. It is the season after all that we are called to reflect more profoundly on the essence and mystery of our faith, and decide whole-heartedly to focus on things that really matter.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent brings us very close to Christmas. Most people by now have purchased Christmas gifts for loved ones and parents are planning to place gifts for their children under the tree to watch the joy as they open them. Most of us have planned Christmas Dinner, know where it will be hosted and know what outfit we will wear. One thing remains clear: we are celebrating our love, presence, and the bond of relationship we share with one another, which has been made possible by the story of God's presence among us.

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, we testify to LOVE. What is love? So many ideas of what love is, yet the world is in most need of love. Love is married bliss, love is a pop music ballad, or a country music song. So many things have been said of love. It's a perplexing mystery, but we know we crave it and rejoice when we find it. Who does not want to be loved, but at times we can be stingy with this most wonderful gift of God. It's easy to love the people that love us but what about those that don't love us back, those are the hardest to love, yet we are called to love them anyway.

The Third Sunday of Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means "rejoice." This Sunday reminds us that even while we wait, we can be joyful. Advent is a time of hope and preparation. But this week, we pause to smile, sing, and take heart. The readings for this weekend are full of life. Isaiah tells us the desert will bloom. James encourages us to wait with patience. Jesus reminds us of the signs that God's kingdom is near. In these readings there is strength to those who are tired or uncertain.This Sunday we are pointed towards joy. Not because everything is perfect, but because Jesus is near. His coming brings healing, justice, and peace.

Rejoice in the Lord Always, Again I Say Rejoice !!!

Gaudete Sunday or Rejoice Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent reserved for lighting the one and only liturgical rose-colored candle for the Fruit of the Holy Spirit of JOY.

Each candle of the Advent wreath brings us a new Fruit of the Holy Spirit to learn to live by, and to build our foundation of faith. We have come a long way, building upon Hope, Peace, and now Joy as the pillars that will hold us up and lead us to the final candle of LOVE.

Delving into the Advent Season we find ourselves thinking about the four fruits of the Holy Spirit, as we began with Hope, then continue to move onto Peace, JOY, and Love. Hope and Peace are the cornerstone of the Christian life with all four gifts our foundation. The Advent Wreath really is a great instrument of contemplation, the circle of the wreath reminds us of the pilgrim journey we've undertaken, and that the path of that journey must be illuminated at all times, as we light the candles of the wreath, and become open to the ways God will lead us, if we only stop to pause and listen to Him.

The Second Sunday of Advent leads us to something new. John the Baptist tells the people to repent, to turn around, to get ready because someone greater than he is coming. This greater person will bring the Holy Spirit and fire. We are reminded that real faith shows not so much in our words but in our actions and that we must bear good fruit. We hear about a branch growing from Jesse's stump and this is a sign of hope that shows us God is doing something fresh. Scripture should give us hope because God is faithful in what He promises us and that all people are part of His plan.