Throughout the Infancy Narrative, we hear almost nothing about what Jesus did or said. Most of the time, we learn something about Him from the actions and words of other people and the events in the narrative. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel revealed Jesus as the Son of God (Lk. 1:35). At His baptism, a voice from heaven said: "This is my beloved SON with whom I am well pleased" (Lk. 3:22). In v.49, Jesus refers to God as His Father. The finding at the Temple is the only glimpse we have of His childhood. About the mystery of His total consecration to the mission that flows from His divine Sonship. (CCC, 534)

In the Gospel, we hear the Blessed Mother travels in haste to Judah to visit her cousin Elizabeth. It was not haste due to pressure or obligation but one filled with awe and joy for all the marvelous things happening according to God’s Divine plan. A Holy Haste, which did not leave Mary stressed, exhausted, and frustrated. The haste of Mary reflects her obedience, humility, and trust in something or someone greater than herself. Mary’s haste comes from the joy in her heart after the events of the Annunciation: the prophecies of the Old Testament are happening; God’s divine plan is unfolding, and she plays a significant role in this plan.

Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of Joy. The pink candle symbolizes the joyful anticipation of His coming and the commemoration of His birth in Bethlehem on Christmas Day.

The readings and the psalms all focus on the joy we experience anticipating the birth of the Savior, calling us to be joyful always. For those in deep sorrow, the prophet Zephaniah exhorts them also to rejoice. St. Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Philippians is likewise an invitation to be joyful and glad for the Lord to come soon, and he will remove all fears from their hearts. The Gospel invites us to walk the path of righteousness and love; do this, and there will be great rejoicing.

As the Parochial Vicar at St. Theresa in Phoenix, I did the Marriage Preparation or PreCana Program. One day, a couple came and said they wanted to get married in the Church. When I asked them to sign up for the program, they hesitated and questioned the rationality of preparing for marriage when they already loved each other and had known each other for years. I explained that whether they are aware of it or not, they are being prepared for marriage by the secular world. The mass, print, and social media often highlight broken relationships, infidelities, divorces, and separations as an expected occurrence, taught and subjected to erroneous ideas and values about marriage.

What is the true spirit of the Advent season? Answer: Humility and gratitude before God. If only we can humbly accept our sinfulness and gratefully believe in His mercy and love, our ADVENT has come.

The ultimate goal of every Christian is to be one day with Jesus, the source and giver of eternal life. He is the incarnation of the love of God comes into flesh: I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (Jn. 10:10)Advent season is that renewed preparation and desire to meet Jesus worthily when He comes. The Collect (Opening prayer) this Sunday captures this desire: Grant your faithful, we pray, Almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds and HIS coming, so that gather at His right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.

Lord, you are our KING! Because of YOU, we fear no one and nothing. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we are all part of His Kingdom and thus must remain loyal and faithful. If we truly belong to Him, we should know His truth and listen to His voice. We hear so many voices in the world, and sad to say, often we allow these voices to drown the voice of the Good Shepherd, Christ the King. He is the King of the Universe; if we listen attentively to His voice, He wants to share His victory with all who have FAITH in Him. His Kingdom is of TRUTH and LOVE.

As we approach Christ the King, the Gospel speaks about the events that will unfold at the end times, which worries and scares us. So, Jesus warns His disciples not to focus on fear which could paralyze and even overwhelm us but instead on trust and hope and on salvation and eternal life.

The words of Jesus point to the end of time and the second coming. The end times will surely come; no one knows when because only God the Father knows when it will happen.“

Jesus reminds us that God does not force or push people to do good. He wants us to do good from the goodness of our hearts. Examining the widow in the Gospel offering, the Lord teaches that it is not so much the quantity as the quality of our giving that matters. Giving from our hearts has far more value than giving from our surplus. As God does not force people, we should think the same and not try to coerce or manipulate God. Remember, God’s ways are not man’s ways.

A scribe asked Jesus which is the first of all the commandments. Jesus answers by citing the famous Shema: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

When Bartimaeus heard the Lord passing by, he cried out, Jesus, son of David, have pity on me! It was a desperate and distressed cry but also a cry of FAITH. The man trusted someone he had not seen with a firm and strong FAITH. He could not see with his eyes, but his faith allowed him to see with his HEART. We have not seen Jesus, but by the grace of God, we believe and hope to see Him one day.

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that SERVICE is the core value of our faith. For this reason, anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be a slave to all.

Let Go and Let God. The first reading from the Wisdom of Solomon, written a century before our Lord's birth, speaks in Solomon's voice. The Lord tells the young Solomon to ask for anything he wants. Without any hesitation, he chooses WISDOM. (2 Chr. 1:10)

More than ever, the institution of marriage continues to be questioned: Two contemporary trends exist. The first are those who no longer see the value of marriage as an essential foundation of family life and as the basic unit of society. Marriage is a personal option or preference, which can be permanent, or, in any case, it is not as important to them. The second trend belongs to those who espouse gay rights, who insist that same-sex union is equivalent to marriage and is an essential foundation for family life and society.