Dear parishioners,
This Sunday we light the 3rd candle of our Advent wreath. Another light to fight the darkness. This time it will be the light of “Joy”, which is traditionally celebrated on this Sunday, ‘Gaudete Sunday’. The light of “Hope” was lit on the first Sunday of Advent, the light of “Faith” on the second Sunday and “Peace” will be lit on the fourth one. Four important lights as pillars of our life. Four pillars which have their origin in Jesus Christ. God made a promise, a very significant promise, to our ancestors in the faith and he fulfilled that promise in Jesus.
The first reading said “Look, your God is coming”. Isaiah proclaimed this as a certainty, he believed God was going to fulfil these words, he believed in God’s words. That belief gave him a way of living, a direction in his life. His life was founded on his faith in God.
The second reading is similar because James expresses that his hope is in Jesus. James’ life is founded on Jesus. He had experience of Him, and he knew is worth it to be patient because God will respond. There are many situations that we experience as being out of our hands but they are not out of God’s hands. He is certainty in the midst of our uncertainties.
The Gospel is clear: Jesus is the answer. He is God’s promise made flesh.
In Him our faith has a face, has a name.
Advent is a time to prepare, a time to recognise, a time to renew our Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace in the One who is our certainty.
As you know this weekend we have a very special celebration within our Parish, Ann Marie D’Souza is doing her Profession of Perpetual Vows within the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity. It is Ann Marie’s faith that has led her to make this step, to dedicate her entire life to announce the power of our faith, the faith in Jesus. Ann Marie is making an option for her life to have only one foundation and from there one dedication.
“With all my filial affection, I hand over to you, heavenly Father, the life which out of pure love you have given me and which you preserve. I want, out of love, to invest it only for your glory, doing always and in everything, your will. I will seek only your Kingdom of love, justice and peace, in order to propagate it and share it among all your children, my brothers and sisters of every race, tongue, people and nation. Your Kingdom will be for me the only richness, temporal and eternal, that I want to live and share equally with everyone” (From VDMF Formula of Consecration)
Please pray for her and for her vocation and for all the people who would benefit from her life and her faith.
Take care and have a blessed third week of Advent, Anabel Gonzalez, FMVD
St. John Vianney Catholic Church - West Green 