As we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear from the prophet Isaiah, writing 700 years before Christ, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Emmanuel. Emmanuel, God with us, is the essence of the promise of a Messiah. In Matthew’s gospel today, the author clearly connects this prophesy to the birth of the Christ child, who is named Jesus because He will save us all from sin.
May our rejoicing be complete, may our joy be full; that the hope of Advent is fulfilled and the promise of the savior among us is renewed. Whether you find Him in the smile of a child, the warmth of a family gathered for a meal, or the present given out of love; make sure you find Him here in the celebration of Eucharist, the ongoing sign and symbol that He is with us, and will continue to be with us always.
Be sure to check the bulletin or take a schedule of Christmas Masses from one of the tables near the door. Join us and so many of your neighbors to truly celebrate the greatest gift of the season, that Christ came to live among us, and lives among us still. Merry Christmas.
