Greetings from Fr. Dave

Here comes Christmas! I look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning as we honor the birth of our Savior.

This weekend our readings announce that the One coming is “Emmanuel”, God is with us. We have all heard that title for Jesus often and sing it weekly during our Advent liturgies. The richness of the meaning can easily be lost on us. The truth that “God is with us” is precisely what gives us the strength to live daily knowing this is not yet heaven without losing hope.
 

“God-is-with-us is the truth that takes us from the Advent wreath to the manger, from the crib to the cross, and ultimately to the empty tomb (and Resurrection)” (Catherine Upchurch). It is our reason for hope, our source of courage as we forge ahead in an imperfect world, the antidote for our fears, and the birthplace of our courage. I encourage you to sit quietly and soak in this reality! God is truly with us in Jesus, and will never, ever let us go!
 

One last reminder about our Christmas Masses. Please expect huge crowds especially at the 3:00pm and 5:00pm Masses, and please avoid saving seats as it can be really off-putting to our many visitors. May we all turn on our warmest welcome so that each person participating in our Masses can experience the deep joy of this season.
 

If you want a quieter experience of Christmas Mass, I invite you to come to our 9:00am Mass on Christmas morning. It will still be festive and joy-filled but without the huge overflow crowds. Blessings and inspiration to all who come!