A litmus test of our faith can be, in part, how thankful we are. The Church even proclaims how giving thanks to God is ultimately the best response in the Preface at Mass (“Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” “It is right and just.”). God is the author of all we give thanks for, so it is right and just to give that thanks back to Him after it passes through us. May we put our gratitude into action as a gift and response to each other and ultimately to God, who is the source of all our thanksgiving!

Do you find yourself captured or afraid? Does the weight of sin or its consequences feel like it will crush you? Know that Jesus sees you. He wants to rescue you from whatever pit you have found yourself in and carry your yoke together. He knows what you are going through - He too was mocked, lied to, felt abandoned, a failure, and wished that his suffering would pass him by. But while he experienced all that it was to be human, He pulled humanity to himself in order to heal it.

When you're struggling with something - including church teachings and dogma, like that of the Immaculate Conception - remember: nothing will be impossible for God.

Why is the world so broken? The short answer is because we've believed the lie that we are not okay as we are; that the life God has given us is not enough. Doubting God, doubting His care and His plan for us, we place our hopes elsewhere and set up new lords in our hearts. And just when those lords have their hooks in us, they turn on us, robbing us of our peace and freedom and leaving us unhappy, disgruntled, unruly captives.
Sit with the Lord and ask Him to help you see what attitudes may have captured your heart (click here to read Dcn. Brett's bulletin column on page three for a brief examination of conscience with the seven deadly sins). To what are you held captive? Then, surrender what God shows you and let Him begin the work of healing your heart and restoring your freedom and peace.

Our Advent homily series will focus on the kerygma — the basics of Salvation History. Salvation History is the story of God’s work in his creation, specifically how he interacted and saved us. It's the story of what God has done, is doing, and why.
God created us in his image and likeness, to have an eternal soul. Every person is called to live in harmony with God in heaven. As we gaze into the stars, all of humanity find themselves pulled. Whether we realize it or not, we all yearn for that which is beyond this world; God meant us for eternity, and our hearts know it. He created you out of love and with a purpose, and that he will do whatever he can to protect and rescue you so that you may be with Him in eternity.

What are you thankful for? That’s the question Fr. Bill asks of our Thanksgiving Day Mass attendees. Consider what you are thankful for as you listen to their responses!

God knows our sufferings. He knows our failures. And he wants to rescue us from these things, to heal us from our sins and transform our minds to know that we part of his plan regardless of where we fall short. What we need to do is reorient ourselves to let Jesus take over, abandoning everything else in favor of God's will. Thus, when failures come our way, we will not be shaken - for our hope is in God alone.
Spend a few moments each day this week praying to God and abandoning yourself to his will, allowing him to be your king, the Lord over your life. Here is St. Charles de Foucauld's Prayer of Abandonment to get you started:
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart;
For I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself;
To surrender myself into your hands, without reserve, and with boundless confidence.
For you are my Father.
-St. Charles de Foucauld
 
 
"Prayer of Abandonment". Text: Based on a prayer by Blessed Charles de Foucauld, 1858–1916. Text and music © 1998, Tom Booth. Published by Spirit & Song®, a division of OCP. Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #A-737156. All rights reserved.

It's important to be "audit ready" now, for the end may come at any time. But let's not lose sight that there is life after death. We will experience trials, illness, and even death, but in the final analysis, God will completely restore his faithful to a state of perfection in heaven.
This week, make a point of thanking God out loud for accompanying you through the disturbances, catastrophes, and tribulations in your life, knowing that he is with you even when you don’t sense him. And, if you know someone who is struggling, share with them your joy and hope: that today could be your last day on Earth and your first in Heaven.