On the last Sunday of the year, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. This feast celebrates the family unit and the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. On this day we offer our own families and all the members of our community on the altar for God's blessing from the Holy Family.

The feast of the Holy Family reminds us that as the basic unit of the universal Church, each family is called to holiness. The Holy Family tells us about the Divine Son of God Jesus, his mother Mary, and his foster father Joseph. We know very little about the life of the Holy Family through the Scriptures. They speak of the early years of the Holy Family, including the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the flight into Egypt, the finding of Jesus in the temple and their life at Nazareth.

Today's Gospel tells us the touching story of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth and the recognition of the baby Mary was carrying in her womb as the long awaited savior. This visitation serves to bring together the two annunciation strands of Luke's infancy narrative. Here the two pregnant women of faith meet, even though Elizabeth is clearly subordinate to Mary. Both children in the womb will be great, but Mary's child will be the son of the Most High. With the greeting of Elizabeth, the child in her womb John leaps for joy. Elizabeth takes this opportunity to call Mary as the blessed one. What does it mean to be blessed in the context of Mary is the question we would always ask.

On this third Sunday of Advent the church invites us to rejoice and prepare ourselves for the coming of the Savior. The first word of the Antiphon is Gaudete, meaning rejoice and the entire texts of the Mass are filled with the expressions of joy and jubilation. Even the vestment color is changed from the original purple to rose or pink. The entrance antiphon starts with the word: "Rejoice in the Lord always." The First Reading from the prophet Zephaniah tells the faithful to shout for joy, and to rejoice and exult with all their hearts. The Lord will renew them with his love and will be present among them. The responsorial psalm tell us to sing and shout for joy for the Holy One of Israel is in their midst. In the Second Reading, St Paul invites the Christians of Philippi to be happy in the Lord and to remain always in that happiness. The reason for this is that the Lord id near in their proximity. The Gospel brings the people to the awareness of the expectancy of the coming of the Savior and the need for the immediate preparation for the coming of the King who will remain among us. Here we have John the Baptist surrounded by anxious and waiting group of people. They are worried and are unsure about the future. John is there to guide them, to advise them of practical ways and baptize them. Soon Jesus will come to change everything and fill them with Joy. That is what we celebrate today.

This season of Advent heralds the coming of Emmanuel, "God with us". It is the time we realize when our God comes to earth to take on human form and live on earth just as we live. He does it as he shares his life and love with us. When God shares his love with us he invites us to share our love with Him and with others. Advent is the time of waiting as we prepare ourselves to welcome the God who became man and who by example showed us how we too should be able to live like him for others. Advent means waiting. We wait for someone we love and we long to meet that person.

The tile is almost done on the sanctuary. The carpeting on the stairs is almost done. The smaller side is already and it looks so nice. The lift part of the elevator was installed. The bathrooms are working with running water and a beautiful door. The stenciling is all complete with the final shell being painted under the choir loft. The Baptismal font will be placed directly underneath it. We have beautiful new lights hanging through out the church. The railing outside has been installed. The pews are getting installed but no picture. You will just have to wait on that view until the 16th. Everything is coming together. Do not forget that tomorrow is a Holy Day of Obligation in honor of our Church's namesake. Also, keep selling your raffle tickets! Have a great weekend!

The carpeting is looking good. She is working on laying carpet in the back of church going out to the landing. Sims Sounds is installing some of the sound system. The fans are installed in the confessionals. They are prepping the floor in Hansen Hall getting it ready for the carpet. We have doors on the bathrooms. They will be ready for Dec 16th.

The tile is getting installed and grouted in the sanctuary. They are almost done carpeting with one side of the church. Charlie is woodgraining the door and entrance into Hansen Hall.

Today we begin the season of Advent and with this we begin the new liturgical year. On this day the church invites us to be ready and prepared to receive the Lord. Advent means waiting and we wait eagerly for someone we love, we care and we are ready to invest our time on him. In the liturgical calendar, the season of Advent means a joyful waiting, a waiting for someone with love. Here we wait for Jesus and there is the eagerness within us to receive him as we look forward to this great event of God becoming man. During this season we anticipate and await the coming of our Jesus.