Fr. Mike's Communication for Dec 14 2025

The Third Sunday of Advent

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak,
say to those who are frightened: Be strong, fear not!
-Isaiah 353:4

Deecember 14, 2025

Fr Mike's Letter for the Third Week of Advent december 14, 2025

Brothers and sisters,

Be strong, fear not! The prophet Isaiah calls us to share this simple message “to those whose hearts are frightened.” Yet speaking hope into a heart gripped by fear or exhausted by anxiety requires more than words. From our own experience, we know that words alone cannot break through. We have to be witnesses.

But how can we be witnesses when we ourselves are weak? You might accept the need to share the Gospel message of hope, but wrongly assume it’s someone else’s responsibility. Isaiah recognizes that the feeble and the weak will be the most powerful witnesses by cooperating with God’s grace of conversion. We have to allow God to strengthen our hands and make firm our knees. In the Gospel, Jesus himself is this perfect witness, performing the miraculous: restoring sight to the blind, helping the lame to walk, helping the deaf to hear, restoring the ostracized to the community, raising the dead, and ultimately encountering the poor with the good news.

How do we become such witnesses? We look to the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, we have seen how God has imbued creation with his gifts and calls us to receive them. And as poor a gift as our lives might be to the Lord, he sets us apart for his work—he consecrates us for his plan. As we celebrate the Eucharist, our minds and hearts should become aware of all that God is doing in our lives and the way God has given us Jesus, an invaluable gift. How do we thank someone who has given us a gift more valuable than all of creation?

The answer comes at the heart of the Mass. As the priest raises the consecrated host and chalice with his blood, he proclaims the doxology: “Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.” What are we doing at this moment? We have recognized that we have nothing worthy to give to God, except for this invaluable gift he has given us: Jesus in the Eucharist. We offer to the Lord the sacrifice that he has transformed. And we are stating our faith that the Lord is transforming us as a worthy offering.

And so we are sent forth as transformed witnesses. This is how we become witnesses: by allowing ourselves to be transformed and then living that transformation. As Jesus calls us to be present to the poor, let us find ways to keep in our prayers and accompany the poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the sad. I encourage you to pray for those who are struggling as we approach Christmas. On Tuesday, December 16, at 7 pm, join us for our Blue Christmas prayer service. If you are not able to be with us, please join in prayer, asking the Lord of hope for his grace.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation prepares us for this mission. As you prepare your hearts through prayer, I also invite you to prepare them through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Opportunities for confession are ample this week. In addition to our weekly times, the sacrament will be offered in the Church on Monday from 4-6 pm, Tuesday from 4-7 pm, Wednesday from 6-8 pm, and on Friday from 4-8 pm. Note that on Friday, December 19, we will have additional priests visiting to assist with confessions.

In the Lord,
Rev. Michael S. Triplett

RESPECTFUL BURIAL OF ASHES— The Archdiocese of Baltimore offers respectful burial for cremated remains at Holy Cross Cemetery in Anne Arundel County, with the next service in November. For $350, remains are interred in a shared vault and recorded in the cemetery census, ensuring perpetual peace. Contact Rev. Patrick Carrion at 410-547-5375 or pcarrion@archbalt.org to arrange a burial. A bulletin copy is available for use.

THE GABRIEL NETWORK NEEDS VOLUNTEERS—Right now, Gabriel Network urgently needs volunteers—women and families who can walk alongside mothers in crisis pregnancies, offering practical, emotional, and spiritual support. Your help will empower women to choose life and know they are not alone. If parishioners are interested in learning more about volunteering, they can reach out directly to Angelica.Jorgensen@gabrielnetwork.org. They would be deeply grateful for anyone who feels called to give their time and heart to this mission.

THE CATECHUMENAL PROCESS: AN INTEGRATED AND LIFELONG APPROACH TO FAITH FORMATION – Are you looking for an effective way to walk with families towards a deeper encounter with God and better habits of faith? Join Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries on Wed, Nov. 12, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Crofton https://seaseton.org/ for a half-day workshop as they unpack the catechumenal process and how it can inspire our approach to formation at every age. Discover how the resources of the Pathways Formation Suite can be used as tools to realize this vision. Be equipped with strategies to help transition to this new, yet ancient process that follows the method of the master, Jesus.

CONSIDERING THE ALL TO SERVE? BECOME A DEACON – The Archdiocese of Baltimore seeks faithful Catholic men who feel called to serve the Church as permanent deacons. If you are a man between the ages of 35 and 55, active in your parish, and open to discerning this unique vocation, we invite you to learn more about the diaconate formation process. For a list of information sessions, visit www.archbalt.org/clergy and click on “Deacons.” No registration is required. For more information, please contact Fr. Michael Foppiano at mfoppiano@archbalt.org.