Advent Reflection
Even six centuries before Jesus’s birth, the Prophet Zephaniah was preparing His people for Christmas. He urged the Israelites to turn away from false gods like the sun and moon to focus instead on the coming Messiah:
​
“Shout for joy, O daughter Zion … the Lord is in your midst (Zephaniah 3.14-15)”
God’s message for 2025 and beyond is the same. We need to turn away from false gods like greed and lust and move closer to Jesus. True Christmas joy is not what’s under the tree, its WHO died for us ON Calvary’s tree. Invite the inactive Catholics all around you to experience the real joy of Christmas. Invite them to the Advent Masses and joyful parish events. Then invite them to Welcome Home Catholics, six weekly meetings to help Catholics rediscover parish life’s many blessings.
​
WHC sessions start right after New Year's Day. Visit the Schedule page for a host or sponsor parish near you. There are no fees, obligations to continue or dress code. So come as you are straight from work or from home. All that you need to bring is a sincere desire to draw closer to Jesus. Invite the inactive Catholics in your life to "shout for joy" to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas and start the New Year off right!
H
Slowly sails the ship into the harbor
A safe haven, to recover at last
Battered and torn, the sails on the mast
Weathered and beaten with holes in the hull
The tired vessel makes its way to the dock
With a lopsided movement toward us all
As one with a peg leg who lilts to one side
It finds its way home with no sense of pride
The battle was won but the cost was so dear
As some lives were lost, all shed a tear
Phyllis Comeaux
12-9-23
(on retreat)
From where comes this ship? Ask the hands on the dock
Sailing the seas looking for true treasures?
Or searching the lands for worldly pleasures?
Getting distracted as they stopped to play
They found themselves lost along the way
Trying to find the way back home
They found themselves caught up in a storm
Tossed hither and yonder and turned around
‘Til they heard the call home, heeding the sound
_edited_ed.png)
Thus, the wayward Christian finds a way home
After darting off without a look back
Going after distractions that got him off track
Content and enjoying himself for a while
He finds he is missing home in this trial
And turns to see no one to help find the way
So he drops to his knees to fervently pray
And in the dark and stillness of night
He hears the call that changes his plight
Come Home to me and I will hold you tight
FOREVER – was the word that set him right