FRIDAY EVENING MASS HOMILY – FR. FRANCIS

I come with a warning, a warning for the Advent season. Two words of warning: the Advent devil. He is out to get each one of us and stick his claws into every one of us. We all cling to a true and authentic peace. But, the Advent devil is trying to steal our peace found in Jesus Christ. The Lord is permitting the devil to try to bring us down and steal our peace; try to drag us into consumerism and materialism. The fruit of our concupiscence is being dragged into it.

Advent is a time to repent, to do penance. It is connected to Lent – repentance, fasting, self-mortification, etc., and is still more important in the Advent season than during Lent. There is a real callousness in the world today. The Advent devil is out there and wants to get a hold on us.

Isaiah means, "God is salvation." Isaiah calls us to repent.

Things to put on our priceless gift list:

1. Gift of listening to somebody;
2. Gift of a sign of affection, especially for family members;
3. Gift of a compliment (gives a person encouragement);
4. Gift of leaving someone alone when they want to be alone (don't have to talk all the time);
5. Gift of a cheerful disposition (cannot let our emotions dictate our actions);
6. Gift of game planning (recreation with family and others).

If you think you are free and clean, the Advent devil's got you where he wants you.

SATURDAY MORNING MASS HOMILY – FR. RAY BOURQUE

There is a custom to say 1,000 Ave's before Christmas. During Advent we should think about what Mary was thinking about while waiting the birth of Jesus, her expectations.

The first part of the Mass is a continuing education for Catholics. It is time to work when we go to Mass. If someone says something bad about the Mass, they are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

We need to listen during the Mass and attempt to understand the readings and the gospel. What is the message of the gospel and the readings? At the end of the Mass go and tell someone about the readings. Get something out of the Mass. Come hungry to Mass for the word. Be excited about what you hear during the Mass and go and tell someone just as you would if you had important news to tell them. Three things are important: (1) what it says, (2) what it means, and (3) what it means to you. Look at the readings and gospel as a picture and imagine what that picture shows you. We rattle when we pray, even at Mass. Think of what you are rattling.

SATURDAY MORNING INSTRUCTION – FR. AUGUSTINE

This is the YEAR OF THE FATHER.

This is the first week of Advent. We should focus on the Second Coming of our Lord. If we are in the state of grace, it will be a welcomed time. Be prepared for the coming of the Lord. He can come at the Second Coming or at our death. We need to be ready. Be fearful only if you are in sin. Mortal sin is the open door for the devil to come in. The sign of the cross is a great weapon against sin. We will die one day, and that day will be sooner than we think. Flee from mortal sin. It is spiritual suicide. Run to confession if you are in mortal sin.

If you are in the state of grace, stand erect, hold your head high, and be proud of your state of grace. The day of the Lord will be one of joy for those strong for holiness. The Second Coming is a dogma of faith; it is a truth. We should long for the Second Coming, desire it just as the bride desires the bridegroom.

Who was prepared for the first coming? The poor and the lowly were prepared.

Compare Abraham's sacrifice of his only son being stopped by God, yet God sacrificed His only son, Jesus.

We may ask, why would God let bad things happen? He let His own son die. God draws good out of evil. The theme of God's exalting the lowly is constant in the Old Testament. Whatever we endure in this world, our soul must proclaim the greatness of the Lord. God only uses the humble. Only the lowly will be ready to receive the Lord.

Every time we sin, we say, "Crucify Him." Crucifixion the most cruel even in history – death of God made flesh. The Lord used the crucifixion as the source of redemption. Every suffering is a beautiful source of redemption. Offer every pain to God. Never give up on your children.

Whatever humbles us, we accept it; whatever hurts us, we accept it for God. He humbles us to exalt us. The crib, the cross and the Eucharist are a blueprint. Jesus is humble. He chooses to come to us in a humble form, bread.

Humility and charity are united like John the Baptist and the Lord. Humility is a precursor of charity. Grow first in humility. One of the best ways to grow in humility is Adoration, also, for loving each other when we discern the presence of a person in the Eucharist. 

Act of faith – I believe you are present in this Sacrament. Love pierces the surface; put love in and it will draw love out. The Lord loves us and goes beyond our surface of sin into the heart. It takes great virtue to go beyond the surface. This is an opportunity to grow in holiness.

There is a war against silence in society today because in silence one begins to pray.

Enter into Advent longing for Jesus' heart.

HEALING SERVICE – FR. JOSEPH

In writing to the Colossians, St. Paul prays for them and sends them words of encouragement. He has a friendship with these people who are many miles away.

The Lord makes us into one body and friends even if we come from distant places, different backgrounds, etc. A relationship based on the Lord is endless, it endures. We are called to bring others to that friendship with the Lord.

We come in Adoration and many graces are being poured out on us, even now. The Mass is the height of our faith; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a continuation of the Mass.

We come to the Lord with petitions for our needs and He answers us. His answer is best for us, regardless of what we want the answer to be.

We have a common bond with the Lord.

SATURDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY – FR. RAY BOURQUE

The theme of Father Ray's bible study was THE YEAR OF THE FATHER. Our God has always been there, never changed. Everything comes from the Father.

Father Ray's message was to study your Mass missal very closely and discover and count the references to Father – God – Lord or references to them during the Mass. You will be amazed the number of times this happens.

SUNDAY MASS HOMILY – FR. RAY BOURQUE

God will give a sign – Virgin will be with "child". The "child" is referred to several times. How do we recognize the "child"? The wisdom of God will rest in Him; the gifts of the Holy Spirit will rest upon Him. This is the way we will recognize Him. This is the way we will recognize the Christians.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Holy Fear of the Lord.

When the Messiah comes, He will not be judged by appearance or hearsay. People judge on appearance. We will be judged by the Word that God has put into our hearts.

We should have so much knowledge of God, just as waters cover the sea and fill every crack, we should know God.

If we are open to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, there is harmony between our intelligence and will. Everything written before our time was written for our instruction so that we might derive hope.

Our hope is in what we say in the world; our hope is what God does. May God who is the source enable us to live in perfect harmony with one another with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. We must accept one another as Christ accepts us. How did Jesus Christ accept me as a baby? At Baptism as a baby, but how after you have sinned over and over again. Accept each other for the glory of God. If we cannot forgive, if we cannot forget, we waste the blood of Christ. As God has been merciful to me, I must be merciful to others.

We are called to do the same as John the Baptist did to prepare for the coming of Jesus. We need to be people who prepare for the coming of Jesus.

John the Baptist's message was reform your lives, repent. Jesus Christ came after John the Baptist and continued his message.

It is time to wake up and reform our lives. We need to be people with a message today. First do penance, then celebrate the Jubilee. This is a year of reconciliation. John the Baptist baptized with water; Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.

When we hear the word of God, we should become alive.