Solemnity

The message of Christmas is that God is with us. Have confidence and trust in that, and when you sense that God has provided you a star to follow, follow it!

There's a lot of misunderstanding about judgement, hell, and purgatory. So many of us hold an unhealthy guilt and fear of what judgement is going to be; that all the sins you've confessed will be held against you at the end. But God's mercy is everlasting and directed at each of us. Holding firm to that; understanding what hell and purgatory are, as defined by our faith, and practicing now the language and values of the Kingdom of God is the key.

So much of what we’re exposed to every day is geared to provoke fear or outrage or insecurity or guilt or inadequacy. The saints and their stories present us a very different picture, because they see life through a different lens. This month, make some time in your life for their stories. Learn to see through their eyes. Invite them to be part of your own walk. To get you started, click here for one of Deacon Brett's favorite saint stories.

Mary paves the way to her Son, and knowing her better leads to a deeper love of Jesus.

We have a community around us, we have sacraments, we have the Word of God, we have the Holy Spirit - all of these equip us so that we are ready for whatever comes our way. We don't need to fold over or give in or give up. Instead, we hold true to Jesus Christ - a faithful presence in a less-faithful world.

The Father is my loving Father. I am His beloved child. You are his beloved child. And he is indeed well pleased with each of us, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of who He is.