Please register your children ONLINE for our youth Faith Formation programs and Sacrament preparation for 2018-19. The link can be found on the Registration Tab under Faith Formation. Please check out our Faith Formation programs on their individual ministry pages for more information and calendars for the upcoming year. We are looking forward to sharing faith with you again this year!!!
As we wind down our Advent preparation and light the fourth candle on the wreath, we reflect this Sunday on the gospel story of the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. This scene immediately follows the story of the Annunciation, where Mary conceived Jesus upon the announcement of the angel Gabriel. Loving service is Mary’s awe striking response to having been filled literally with the presence of God. The evangelist wrote that Mary traveled to the hill country “in haste.” She did not waste time. There was a great sense of urgency – the urgency to serve. She did not feel entitled for special treatment after having been asked to be the Mother of God. This tells us that if one is genuinely filled with the presence of God, the person cannot just live for oneself or live selfishly. One is always moved to serve. To embrace the true spirit of Advent then is to find ways for us to grow in loving service. In this way, others will feel the loving presence of God through us, and like John the Baptist, they would “leap in joy.” - Fr. Cary
A medida que terminamos nuestra preparación de Adviento y encendemos la cuarta vela de la corona, reflexionamos este domingo sobre la historia del evangelio de la visita de María a Isabel. Esta escena sigue inmediatamente la historia de la Anunciación, donde María concibió a Jesús en el anuncio del ángel Gabriel. El servicio amoroso es la asombrosa respuesta de María al haber sido llenada literalmente con la presencia de Dios. El evangelista escribió que María viajó a la región montañosa "a toda prisa". Ella no perdió el tiempo. Había un gran sentido de urgencia: la urgencia de servir. Ella no se sentía con derecho a recibir un tratamiento especial porque se le había pedido que fuera la Madre de Dios. Esto nos dice que si uno está genuinamente lleno con la presencia de Dios, la persona no puede simplemente vivir para sí misma o vivir egoístamente. Uno siempre se mueve para servir. Abrazar el verdadero espíritu de Adviento, entonces, es encontrar maneras de crecer en el servicio amoroso. De esta manera, otros sentirán la presencia amorosa de Dios a través de nosotros, y como Juan el Bautista, "saltarían de alegría". – Fr. Cary
“Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again: rejoice”. These are the words of Paul in today’s second reading. During this Advent season, I have been preparing for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ one more time. Yes, one more time because He keeps coming to me all the time, especially in the Eucharist! He loves me in the midst of my history, my struggles, my despairs. The only thing that He keeps doing is coming to me to tell me how much I am loved by Him. That is why I rejoice today in the Lord. I rejoice in the Lord who loves me in His greatness even when I am not faithful to Him, even when I deny Him, even when I can not see His blessings in the midst of an ordinary day and the events of my life - the only thing He does is bestow His blessings upon me because He loves me. Thanks be to God for the Apostle Paul. He reminds me everyday how much I must rejoice in the Lord, because no matter what happens in my life, even in those obscure moments of desolation, confusion or doubt, God is always there blessing me and allowing me to live those moments for my conversion and His Glory. For that I give thanks to God! May the Lord teach me to love Him how He deserves to be loved! - Jossie Torres-Jurado