“I don’t like waiting.”
The whining voice I heard came from my young daughter, complaining about having to wait for her next birthday.
“It’s too far away,” she said. “I’ll be old and wrinkly by then.”
I laughed out loud, but truly, that plaintive voice is one that echoes inside each of us, whether we are children or adults, teenagers or grandparents.
Dear Friends,
We have entered into the Season of Advent. It is a short Season of Advent this year, so let’s get right to it. Our message from the Lord on this first Sunday is simple: “watch!” The Gospel of this past Sunday (MK 13:33-37) doesn’t even contain 100 words, yet, in this small discourse we hear Jesus say repeatedly, “Be watchful,” “be alert,” “watch,” “What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
DEFOREST/EAST BRISTOL — St. Olaf Parish in DeForest and St. Joseph Parish in East Bristol are planning an Advent parish mission.
What if we could promise that your life could take a direct turn into the heart of God? That is what can happen when we open ourselves up to the words of the Spirit shared by Deacon Ralph Poyo, a nationally renowned speaker on evangelism and lighting fire in the hearts of the faithful.
CROSS PLAINS — […]
BARABOO — St. Joseph Parish will present an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 304 East St. All are invited to take one hour to spend with the Lord.
Participants will pray the ancient O Antiphons, prophetic promises of salvation. These have been sung with the Canticle of Mary since the sixth century. Each antiphon highlights a title for the Messiah taken from the Hebrew Scriptures.
Most of us have some sense of the Church’s liturgical year. The priest wears purple during Advent, the sanctuary is filled with poinsettias during the Christmas season (and beyond), and our parishes add extra hours for the Sacrament of Penance during Lent. The life of the Church is ordered around the rhythm of the liturgical year.
Unfortunately, most people’s lives are ordered around a different calendar. School starts every fall, December is packed with too many things to do, travel plans are made when the kids are on spring break, etc.
“This is so cool!” said first-time guest Denise Horn.
The Janesville resident had attended the Diocese of Madison’s Apostolate to the Handicapped Day at the Dells — featuring Mass, lunch, and the Tommy Bartlett Water Show — numerous times in the past, but she had never attended the annual Advent/Christmas Party before.
Dear Friends,
Just as I did at Mass this past Sunday, I’d like to reflect for a moment on waiting.
I think our most frequent use of that word is when we say something like, “I can’t wait!” or “I just can’t wait!” Such phrases are usually joyful statements of anticipation of something good to come.
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The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means coming.
From the first Sunday of Advent to December 17, we await the second coming of Christ so that when he comes in glory, he will find us prepared to meet him. From December 17 to 24, we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ at Christmas.
During Advent’s graced moments, we also experience the comings of Christ in our daily life.
BARABOO — To […]
