1st Sunday of Advent
November 28, 2021
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
~ Luke 21:26-27
Brothers and Sisters,
After God looked upon the world and all he created, he thought: good. Yet, when gazing upon humanity, the Lord proclaimed: very good. Because we know our Lord doesn’t make mistakes, on some level, we understand this creation proclamation wasn’t an error. And we’ve been told that even despite our sinfulness, we humans are intrinsically very good –– so why is this so hard to believe?
We struggle with our essential goodness because of pride and selfishness. In other words, the brokenness brought on by sin. Sin causes us to do and believe all the wrong things; we are sinful, unlovable people, separated from God. This line of thought can leave us overwhelmed, thinking our relationship with God is irreconcilable. NONSENSE! God, will never give up on us. Our God is active, a loving Creator who continually offers us restoration and healing.
Our Scripture readings remind us to be vigilant and ready for the Lord. When we lack confidence or become discouraged, ask God for the gift of faith. Remember, as a theological virtue, faith is a gift, and when we accept it, we affirm God, His kingdom, and the truth of His decree – that our world is indeed good, and even more than that, we are good; too!
Each week during Advent, we will focus on one aspect in which God’s healing is at work – and what the Lord is offering to those who seek healing. Though we are entering a season of waiting, we never have to wait on our Lord to act; God is waiting on us to cooperate so he can lavish us in grace and mercy. Will you take your Creator up on this offer?
Avail yourself of God’s healing – and the many opportunities the parish offers to assist in obtaining this healing from the Lord this Advent. Including increased opportunities for Reconciliation and the support available at our ongoing ministries like Celebrate Recovery, Bereavement Support Group, and Stephen Ministry.
Join us for a Festival of Praise with Speaker and Author Meg Hunter-Kilmer, highlighting the goodness present in the lives of saints and families with children; join us for a Family Holy Hour perfect for all ages. Choose forgiveness and restoration for yourself and one another at a very special Healing Mass with Father Ambrose. And finally, acknowledge God’s presence amid our pain in a safe place at our Blue Christmas Prayer Service. Find the details about these Advent offerings and a few more at www.OLPHparish.org/advent, and please consider inviting a family member, friend, neighbor, or coworker to join you for these opportunities. Please know of my prayers for you and your families. That you may experience God’s abundant goodness and mercy here at OLPH this Advent so you can welcome Christmas unburdened with joyful hearts!
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Rev. Michael S. Triplett