May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever! Whether you are a member, a regular attendee, or a first-time visitor, we are blessed to have you with us.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Fourth Sunday of Advent! This weekend we celebrate the shortest fourth week of Advent possible…one day. On Sunday evening we celebrate Christmas.
Today’s Gospel is the story of the Annunciation, when Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. Mary was invited to take a leap of faith and trust that God had a special plan for her. In saying “let it be with me according to your word” [Luke 1:38], Mary proclaimed a profound “yes” to God’s invitation to be the mother of Christ. Because of her “yes,” the Church recognizes Mary as the first disciple.
My prayer for all of us is that we, like Mary, might listen to God’s voice, which speaks to our hearts, and respond in faith with a resounding “yes” to God’s special plan for us. May our birthday gift to Christ be a heart open to God’s will for us.