Preparing the Way of the Lord: OUR FAITH – OUR FUTURE – OUR PARISH

12-18-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

The Advent Season ushers the weeks of preparation for the joyous season of the year, the Birth of the Baby Jesus on Christmas. The readings of early Advent bring us to the scene of the call of John the Baptist to Prepare the Way of the Lord. Let us not be drowned by the loud voices of society or the culture that promotes the ways of the world and not the WAYS of the LORD. Let us advocate God's ways, the intangible value of friendship, love, purity, joy, loyalty, generosity, kindness, gentleness, patience, and peace.

This Advent Season, let us reflect on the ways of Jesus: He expels unclean spirits; He is the Divine Physician who comes to heal the sick, strengthen the weak, forgive sin-ners, and seek and save the least, the lost and the last. We pray that the Lord show us the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE: Saying, Lord, you are the way – teach me your way. - Lord, YOU are the truth – enlighten my mind with the light of your wisdom and give me the courage to defend and advocate your TRUTH. - Lord, YOU are the LIFE – help me to see no other way of life that my heart desires except to embrace your ways, O LORD.

Have you been an angel to somebody, or has someone been an angel to you lately? In the story of the early events before Christmas, we hear the accounts in Scripture of the Archangel Gabriel visiting Mary. The visit completely changed the heart of Mary: I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word. The moment for Mary was a tremendous leap of faith and trust in God. Like Mary, let us allow the Lord into our hearts, and may the encounter with the Baby Jesus this Christmas change us.

On the Feast Day of St. Rose, the Parish Development Council (PDC) officially commissioned Adaptive Architects to make the architectural and structural design; and the complete construction plan of the new church. With the mortgage (Spirituality Center) behind us, we implement the first phase of our Master Plan for Building Our Church. As the architects draft the complete design on the drawing board, we intend to launch a big push for our building funds. We are happy to announce a One Million dollars ($1,000,000) donation from an anonymous magnanimous parishioner. With this donation, soon, we are unveiling a MATCH-DONATION Program, an opportunity for all parishioners to make a generous match until we reach the million dollars threshold or more. Every step we make from now brings us closer to putting a stake in the ground and jump-starting the construction. Your generosity has gotten us this far; let us sustain the momentum until we realize OUR DREAM of building OUR CHURCH.