You will notice that the two Christmas trees that had been filled with tags for women’s and children’s gifts at Mercy Hospice, as well as local people in need are gone – so are all the tags! Over the past few weeks, so many of you have so generously taken the tags and returned with gifts for these needy women and children whom you will probably never meet; in their name, I want to thank you! Let me also thank those of you who filled the school cafeteria recently with gifts and food baskets for the 90 needy families both in our sister parish, St. Martin de Porres, as well as our own parish. And, a recent report from the Catholic Charities Appeal indicated that you have contributed $127,171 to date this year. This brings us to 141% of our $90,000 goal for this year; thanks to those who have already contributed! These are just three recent examples of your great generosity throughout the year and especially at Christmas time toward those here in our own neighborhood, throughout our archdiocese and around the world, in response to our God’s great gift to us – his Son, whose coming we eagerly await during this Advent Season. Your generosity has offered hope to all those benefitted and, in their name, I thank you! As we approach the end of our Jubilee Year, when have been called to be pilgrims of hope, these gestures of care for the needy were clear signs of the hope that we all can live because we live in Christ.
While he was with us, Jesus offered us great hope as he gave himself to us under the forms of bread and wine in the Eucharist and to the Father in expiation of our sins on the cross. This is why it is so important to join regularly in the Eucharist Celebration. Through this sacrament, we are reminded of God’s great generosity to us and are, in turn, strengthened and encouraged to share of ourselves with those around us. I’m sure you have found spiritual strength and encouragement as you receive our Lord at Mass both through his sacred Word and his life-giving Body and Blood.
In the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council remind us that our Lord, who came once in history to accomplish his great work of salvation and will come again at the end of time to lead all the faithful to our heavenly Father, remains in our midst, especially through the sacraments:
To accomplish so great a work, Christ is always present in His Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the sacrifice of the Mass, not only in the person of His minister, “the same now offering, through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross”, but especially under the Eucharistic species. By His power He is present in all the sacraments, so that when a man baptizes it is really Christ Himself who baptizes. He is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church. He is present, lastly, when the Church prays and sings, for He promised: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20).
Our generous outreach to those in need around us comes from our worship of God and leads us back to worship God as well, as the Council Fathers remind us so well:
Christ indeed always associates the Church with Himself in this great work wherein God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. The Church is His beloved Bride who calls to her Lord, and through Him offers worship to the Eternal Father.
Rightly, then, the liturgy is considered as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. In the liturgy the sanctification of man is signified by signs perceptible to the senses, and is effected in a way which corresponds with each of these signs; in the liturgy the whole public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and His members.
From this it follows that every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree.
Yes, our coming together to worship God is the most sacred action we can perform as we gratefully acknowledge all that God has done for us, especially through his Son, Jesus. It guides and directs our daily lives in imitation of Christ’s great work. As we continue the sacred Advent Season and approach the end of this Jubilee Year (it ends officially on 6 January 2026, the Feast of the Epiphany), let us encourage each other by coming to Mass regularly so we can give ourselves time to meditate on this great mystery and, filled with hope, prepare ever more deeply to receive our Lord at Christmas!