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!!