Dear Brothers and Sisters,

One of the many blessings I have as a priest includes administering the sacrament of Baptism to newborn babies whose parents are presenting them to the Church. So I thought that as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, it would be good to address the importance of baptism.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. What exactly is an epiphany? One definition of the word epiphany is simply “a profound realization of something important; a breakthrough; a deep and profound understanding of something once mysterious.” The term "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, meaning "appearance" or "manifestation." So today we celebrate the God revealing Himself in human form through Jesus Christ. We see this revelation in three key events:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace and Joy in Our Lord Jesus!

I find today’s Gospel passage to be incredibly powerful. This print depicts the moment Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple. In the image, both Joseph and Mary embrace Our Lord. Mary’s face is pressing in on the face of Jesus. She seems to be filled with a sense of relief. Joseph’s face has a look of concern and focus, perhaps realizing the fullness of what just happened. Both Mary and Joseph embrace the young boy they lost sight of in the crowd. In this moment, they were the suffering family.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It has been a good advent, albeit a quick one, from my perspective. I think that means I am getting old. If you are traveling this week, have a safe journey and Merry Christmas! If you are in town for Christmas, I look forward to seeing you again for Christmas Mass and extending the Christmas greetings to you in person!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Hope is indelibly engraved in the human heart because God our Father is life, and for eternal life and beatitude we are made. Every child born is a sign of trust in God and man and a confirmation, at least implicit, of the hope in a future open to God’s eternity that is nourished by men and women. God has responded to this human hope, concealing Himself in time as a tiny human being. Saint Augustine wrote: “We might have thought that your Word was far distant from union with man, if this Word had not become flesh and dwelt among us” (Conf. X, 43, 69, cited in Spe Salvi, n. 29).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This time of year can be extra challenging for people for many reasons. Some people find it difficult to trust that God cares for them when they are facing things like poor health, loneliness, failure, or rejection. Trusting that God has a plan for them, much less even cares for them, can be a challenge. If that is your situation, then read on. If that is not your situation, then read on because someone you know may need to hear from you how to trust that Our Lord is with them.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Advent is the season is a time of preparation and anticipation of the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas. Contrary to much of what we see in the stores and malls, online and on the radio, Christmas doesn’t begin until December 25th.

The four weeks prior to Christmas are not meant to replace the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is meant to directs our hearts and minds to the birth of Christ as well as Christ’s second coming at the end of time.