St. Columbkille Catholic Parish

We welcome the New Year 2011 with a heartfelt consecration of ourselves, our families, our country, and the whole world to the intercession of Mary, Mother of God.  In 1859, the Blessed Mother appeared three times to Adele Brise.  She told her, "Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation. Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the cross and how to approach the sacraments.  That is what I wish you to do and I will help you."  After 151 years of powerful conversions and healings, Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay approved the apparition as worhty of belief (although not obligatory) by the Christian faithful.  May Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Pope Benedict XVI said tonight on BBC radio that Jesus is the Savior of the world for all people of the world through all of history!  And that God often surprises us.  Indeed, as the Pope has seen many surprises of God so of which he probably didn't like.  Nevertheless, we adjust to God's great plan, no matter how mysterious.  Such is the birthday of the Savior!  The humility of God amazes us!!

Both men were asked to trust God: One did and one did not.  Ahaz was King of Israel at 20 years old.  Prophets Isaiah, Hosea and Micah all encouraged him to trust in God.  Rather he lived a wicked life, murdered his own son for pagan gods and made his alliance with the King of Assyria.  By the age of 36, Ahaz was dead and people in desolation.  St. Joseph trusted in God.  When he was about to made a wrong decision, God sent an Angel to intervene.  St. Joseph trusted in God even though doing God's Will would lead him through many hardships.  Eternally, St. Joseph is honored by Jesus & Mary and universal Church!

We rejoice for Jesus Christ comes to us in person to heal and save us!  We rejoice and are glad!  Yet the stress and fatigue of our modern world with impossible expectations, over eating and over-spending struggles to take away our joy.  Let us renew our joy in the Lord Jesus as the very center of our lives!

Second Sunday of Advent:  The Holy Gospel calls us to repentance!  A shoot shall spout from the stump of Jesse!  The Holy Spirit shall indeed be sent forth from Heaven to fulfill the Will of God!! 

"Come, let us climb the Lord's Mountain!"  Isaiah calls us up God's Holy Mountain.  Yet we can sprint or even stroll straight to the top.  We must prepare for a life long, spiritual journey.  Jesus calls us to prepare for His Second Coming!

Yes, even the Temple of Jerusalem will be destroyed!  Jesus reminds us in the Holy Gospel today that the end of the world does indeed come.  We do not know when Judgment Day will be upon us and persecution besides.  Yet we do know that those who do the Will of Our Heavenly Father will rise with the Sun of Justice!  So we are encouraged to be good examples, true role models of Christian life.  Who has inspired you to Eternal Life?

The Sadducees challenge Jesus to deny the Resurrection over the marriage law of the Torah.  Jesus uses the Torah, specifically Exodus 3:6 to defend the truth of the Resurrection.  Marriage is a prelude to Eternal Life.  We are a family of Eternal Life through Christ.  Marriage is to be the total self giving to God and Family.  In marriage, we make sacrifices out of love, just as Jesus did for us.

All Hallow's Eve, is the evening before All Saints Day!  It was no trick.  Jesus went to Jericho to bring the treat of Salvation!  Wow, what a gift!!! 

Jesus calls all of us to humility and prayer.  "O God, be merciful to me, a sinner" is a power prayer of humility!  I use this prayer many, many times through each day.  What a joy it is to be humble before the Lord!!