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Second Sunday in Advent - December 8, 2019

Dear friends,

This second week of Advent brings a new challenge to our Christian life. As we light the second advent candle, we are more than ever reminded of the need to be awake. Saint John the Baptist cries in the desert, he calls all and each one of us to come out of our comfort zone where everything seems granted.

The question we are invited to answer this weekend is the following: how am I participating in the work of making the kingdom present in the world? We may think, of our presence at this place of worship as enough, but St. John challenges us. He tells us that it is not enough for us to say that we are already here, and therefore we belong to the kingdom. The kingdom requires transformation in both the understanding of our own life and of everything that surrounds us. Then, we can look with new eyes and through new lenses the reality that surrounds us as a reminder and ongoing call to making a difference.

As we sit here to listen to the word of God and to be fed by Jesus Christ, the Sacrament of our salvation, we may look at ourselves as those trees that are planted in God’s garden. For indeed this world is God’s garden and He wants us to bear fruit that reveal his love and mercy. We are asked to figure out what in our life constitute the fruit that we bear in order to transform our life and those of others around us. We have been watered by God himself as he feeds us at these two tables of the Word and of the Body and Blood. At some point, this could nurture in us the feeling of fulfillment and look down on others. John the Baptist once more reminds us that we should always let the glory of God take prevalence in our life. He could claim to be He who was coming. Yet, true to himself, he boldly declared that he was only a messenger.

You and I are given the opportunity to rediscover the virtue of humility in our lives. There are many ways we can display pride, especially at this time of the year. It may go from the feeling of taking salvation for granted to the sumptuous way we are decorating our house. Let us then respond to this:  At this Christmas, how am I going to celebrate the coming of the Son of God in a way that does not remain faithful to the routine this celebration seems to be embraced today?

As we prepare for the coming of the Lord, let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.

Fr. Emery

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