Category:Lecture/Sermon

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Advent begins, a season that allows us to open our eyes and have hope. The first reading is about waking spiritually. Isiah speaks to a word filled with conflict and division. He paints a picture of what God wants. God transforms whatever is bad to good. That is Advent, transforming the division in us. The gospel reading is a call to wake spiritually. Life became so routine God was forgotten. The Advent message is not to be afraid, God comes with love. Waking is to pay attention to God in your lives. Do not be distracted. Prepare a room for God. Choose an act of mercy: donate, give to the needy. Go to the sacrament of reconciliation, come to extra masses. Isiah invites us to walk in God's light so when God comes he will find us awake and full of joy.

We were taught thank you, sorry, and please. We receive things we deserve so give thanks. Our lives were gifts; we did not choose them. Every family has struggles. Social media makes bad things seem to be only in our lives. If we look we have more things to be thankful for. The more we cultivate gratitude, we see more of the Lord. Thanksgiving allows us to understand our gifts. The Eucharist is the best way to thank the Lord. Also thank people around us. Those in society allow us to cultivate thanks that allow us to remember the grace of god. Think of something to give thanks for. Thank you Lord for everything you give us. Amen

I am Deacon John; I am about to graduate from seminary, will be ordained in May. My parents found a place in Tennessee for retiring. Their church is in walking distance, very rare in the South. The pastor there gave a sermon titled the Fourth Quarter. The thief on the cross that was saved had turned to Jesus to repent and was saved. He was ordained as a saint. God calls us to the heights of holiness, the universal to holiness. We are all called to the holy life of Jesus. The question is not who is a sinner, we are all sinners. It is about humanity. Saint Dismas defended Jesus and was forgiven. You do not have to wait to the last minute to turn to God. When we turn to God for grace, he responds. It means living in grace, further away from sin, it means reconciling. …