Out of a loving desire for us to reach our eternal destination, he gives us his flesh and blood as food and drink for the journey. The destination is not just any land but the Kingdom of God. Nothing in this world can sustain us in the journey; only the living flesh and blood of God himself. Thus, only the Eucharist can bring us to our salvation. To deprive ourselves of the Eucharist is to make it impossible for us to reach the new Promised Land - Heaven.

This year is unique because the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. This happens about every six or seven years, although a leap year might render the interval longer. Our Church teaches that Catholics are required to participate in the Holy Eucharist on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas.

This week’s Gospel tells us how the “birth of Jesus Christ came about.” More specifically, it tells us how an angel appeared to Joseph, explaining to him that Mary’s son would save the people from their sins. While Joseph might not have understood it at the time, we know that Jesus is the fulfillment of the great prophecy of Isaiah 7:14ff, that the Messiah would come from the line of David and be born of a Virgin. In our readings this week, we first read that prophecy and then see its fulfillment in the Gospel.

During this Fourth Sunday of Advent, like Joseph, let’s welcome Mary and Jesus in our homes and in our hearts: Let’s make our homes the guardians of God’s love 24/7. Let’s make our hearts the birthplace of the Emmanuel (God within us!)

Who hasn’t felt discouraged at some point in life? We all know how it feels when things don't go the way we want or expect. John the Baptist was feeling that way in today’s Gospel. He is languishing in prison, wondering if all that he said and did had any meaning. Jesus didn’t look like the common image of the Messiah. He wasn’t a great political leader who would overthrow the Roman oppressors and restore Israel to glory. John’s faith is shaken and so he tells his followers to seek out Jesus and ask him, “Are you the one?”

Are we there yet? Virtually… as we walk through the stairways of the THIRD SUNDAY of ADVENT: a Sunday of joy (“GAUDATE” Sunday)!

It may seem odd that, just as the secular world begins to celebrate peace and joy during the holiday season, we are asked in this week’s Gospel to consider our sinfulness. The words of John the Baptist echo across the centuries: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Isn’t John’s talk about sin, God’s wrath, and the need for repentance a bit of a downer as we prepare for Christmas?

Happy New Year! If this strikes you as a bit premature, it isn’t really because this Sunday marks the start of the new Church year. In the Catholic Church, the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the cycle of readings, holy days, and holidays for roughly the next 365 days. It’s also the time of year not only when we are called to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, but also when we are asked to examine our lives and take stock, spiritually speaking.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT! The countdown continues – only eight days left before Christmas. And some of us are carried by the materialistic preparation for Christmas as we end up responding to the greedy command of consumerism: “satisfy my own needs.” We are easily absorbed by the activities of shopping and partying. We forget who we are. We become busy decorating our homes but not our hearts and of storing food in our refrigerators but not feeding our spirit. We forget the needs of others. At the end, there is a chance that we will lose our being God’s image and likeness. Then, we ask ourselves, “Who am I? What is my mission in life?”

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Recall the last time you had company come to your home. Maybe it was family visiting from out of town or a friend you hand't seen in awhile. How did you prepare for them? You likely cleaned the house, planned nice meals, and cleared your schedule to spend time with them—all the while looking forward to their arrival.

When we think of the story of Christmas, we usually think of the "infancy narrative" of Luke's Gospel: Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, no room in the inn, Jesus laid in the manger, angels, and shepherds. This is the familiar account of Christ's birth, and we are surrounded by reminders of it during the Christmas season—songs and stories and images.

It's easy to lose sight of the real story of the Magi amidst the figurines, the television renditions, and the carols about the three "oriental kings." This study looks at the biblical account and gives a proper context for a truly meaningful celebration of joy through sacrificial giving. Presented by Dr. Tim Gray.

With TRUST forever in our hearts, let us take Mary and Jesus in our homes; let our hearts become the birthplace of the EMMANUEL during Christmas!

With the many distractions that bombard us daily, how can we stay focused and watch for Christ during Advent? This study explores the Nativity narrative in Luke’s Gospel that serves as a vivid example of how to prepare our hearts with true humility so that "watching" for Jesus is an active reality. Presented by Dr. Edward Sri.

Time runs fast! The third SUNDAY of ADVENT is here! This is the SUNDAY of conversion, of lifegiving!

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Long before an angel appeared to a young girl named Mary, the need for the angel's message was firmly established in history. At the start of Creation, mankind had rebelled, choosing to trust something other than their Creator, bringing sin and death into the world. So how does that event connect to a young virgin and a startling visit from a celestial being? This study explains. Presented by Brigid DeMoor.

In our gospel during this second SUNDAY of ADVENT, John the Baptist made this invitation to all of us: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand… Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”