Have you ever noticed that we human beings have a seemingly infinite capacity to complicate things?  It’s like we have a built-in aversion to the simple.  We often take the simplest situation and we make it a complicated affair.  As they say, we make mountains out of molehills.  And, when we do, we often miss the real point.  But, when you get the heart of it, often the greatest experiences of life, and the greatest insights, have a way of turning out to be very simple.  Take Christmas, for example.  […]

It is so good to see all of you here this evening, on this the most holy of all nights.  And, so many of you are here as families, parents, grandparents and children.  So, you all remember the moment when it was time to name your child.  It was an exciting time, to be sure.  We just had this in our family as one of my nephews and his wife were preparing to give birth.  They kept the name secret; we didn’t learn his name until he was born.   And, […]

I hope you like our nativity display here in front of the altar.  It really is splendid and I thank all of you who contributed to our Christmas flowers special collection and those who helped to put it up on Friday.  You will notice, however, that the central figure – the infant Jesus – is missing from the manger; he won’t arrive until Christmas and we’re still in Advent for a few more hours.  And so, like in the Wizard of Oz, I say, “Pay no attention to the man […]

Once again, Happy New Year and welcome to another liturgical year … another Advent … a new opportunity to prepare our minds and hearts for the coming of Jesus into the world on Christmas Day and at the end of time.  How blessed we are to believe that the infinite, almighty, eternal God came among us in time.  We are even more blessed to believe that his coming offers us the hope for eternal live in God’s loving embrace.   Advent Season speaks of both of these comings and it’s important […]