Hopeful Watchfulness

As we come to Mass today, we officially begin the season of Advent. It is not only the beginning of a new liturgical year within the Church, but, most importantly, it brings about a time of preparation and anticipation for the coming of our Lord at Christmas. Throughout this season, the Church invites us to…

Listening and Doing

The passage that we have heard this morning in our Gospel comes at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. At the time, the things that Jesus was saying were viewed as being radical. Throughout the preceding chapters, He was telling His disciples and those who came to listen to Him about a new…

Symbols of Advent

Today marks a very special day in the life of the Church. It’s a day when we not only begin a new liturgical year, but it is also a day when we begin an extraordinary time of grace. Today, we begin the Season of Advent, a season when we focus on waiting and hopeful expectation…