Advent Daily Dose - 3rd Thursday

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (7:24-30).

When the messengers of John the Baptist had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. “What did you go out to the desert to see – a reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one whom Scripture says: Behold I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.

I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.” (All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: “We are no longer then in the region of shadows: we have the true Savior set before us, the true reward, and the true means of spiritual renewal. We know the true state of the soul by nature and by grace, the evil of sin, the consequences of sinning, the way of pleasing God, and the motives to act upon. God has revealed himself clearly to us… He calls upon us in turn to ‘walk in the light as He is in the light’… the promise is expressly made to us that… ‘our eyes shall see the King in His beauty; we shall behold the land that is very far off’” (Blessed John Henry Newman, Cardinal Archbishop of Birmingham, England, who died in 1890).

We pray: Unworthy servants that we are, O Lord, grieved by the guilt of our deeds, we pray that you may gladden us by the saving advent of your Only Begotten Son. We ask this through Him, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 3rd Wednesday

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (7:18b-23).

At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: Jesus tells the disciples of John of the amazing and miraculous things that he has done. Two questions for our reflection today:

1.    What amazing and miraculous things has the Lord done for us? Maybe not so far as to accomplish the things mentioned here, but no doubt, the Lord has done great things for us. What are they? Can we name them? And then we give thanks for them.

2.     If we can’t recognize the amazing and miraculous things that the Lord does for us, everyday, sometimes without our even knowing or noticing them, we ask for the grace of wisdom and understanding that we may see and notice and respond to where and when and how the Lord is actively working in our lives, in ways big and small.

We pray: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the coming solemnity of your Son may bestow healing upon us in this present life and bring us the rewards of life eternal. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.  St. John of the Cross, pray for us!

+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 3rd Tuesday

We pray + in name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (21:28-32).
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: What is your opinion? A man had two sons. he come to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' The son said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him."

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection: Jesus' message is that there's always a good time to reconcile with the Father. You don't have to wait to rack up enough sins; you don't have to wait until a tragedy presents itself in your life; you don't  have to wait until the circumstances are just right.  Jesus' message: no time like the present!  Dive in with both feet! A great way to dive in is to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Check this blog for information on addition days and times to celebrate the Sacrament as we approach Christmas. I heard someone say the other day that they bought themselves a Christmas present: "I gave myself a gift."  The Father wants a Gift this Christmas too! He wants us- all of us- and every one of us!

We pray: O God, who through your Only Begotten Son have made us a new creation, look kindly we pray, on the handiwork of your mercy, and at your Son's coming cleanse us from every stain of the old way of life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Lucy, pray for us.

+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 3rd Monday

[Today is the obligatory Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe- more in the Reflection.]

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (1:39-47).
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed in the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection: The story of Mary's visitation to Mexico in 1531 led Pope John Paul II to proclaim her the Empress of all the Americas.  Her message of Peace and Hope is one that echos across time; but is a message that we can still bear to hear today.  Here are two links to learn more about this Marian apparition.  This link will take you to the Catholic Encyclopedia.  This link will take you to Wikipedia.

We pray: O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace. We ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace and our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Saturday

[I'm heading out of town for the weekend and wanted to post this before I left. Many thanks to Deacon Tom for his reflection here.  Have a good weekend everyone!]

+We pray in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (17:9a, 10-13).

As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of man suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: [By Deacon Tom]:  This past Thursday morning, on the Feast of the Immaculate Assumption, I had two remarkably impactful experiences.

FIRST…

I have volunteered to be among a small group of Deacons who assist some of the retired Priests who live at Saint Agnes Home just minutes away from us in Kirkwood.  These Priests gather each morning, about six or eight of them, to concelebrate Mass and the suggestion was made that they could benefit from having a Deacon with them regularly due to some mobility issues.  Thursday morning was my first time assisting these good and holy men.  The reverence, the piety and the depth of their devotion to Our Lady on this important Marian Feast was palpable.  I’m guessing there were two to three hundred years of Priesthood in the room with this lowly Deacon.  It was humbling, to be sure, but also so very inspirational to see men who have come to the altar thousands of times before, come on this morning with such faith in Our Lady’s power to intercede for us.  So sure of Our Lady’s love for us.

SECOND…

Immediately following this early morning Mass, I travelled to Oak Hill School to participate in their Feast Day liturgy.  Here, from the opposite end of the age range, were little children, some in Junior Kindergarten, carrying lilies forward in procession and then reciting in unison the loveliest, albeit simplest, prayer of love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mother, the patron of all Sacred Heart schools.

And here I am, stuck somewhere in the middle of this age spectrum, often fumbling with my devotion to Our Lady, failing to hand over my needs for her perfect intercession and to her loving care.

We pray: May the splendor of your glory dawn in our hearts, we pray, almighty God, that all shadows of the night may be scattered and we may be shown to be children of light by the advent of your Only Begotten Son. We ask this through Him who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us! Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genitrix ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

+In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Friday

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (11:16-19).

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither either nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection: “The Lord, coming into his own creation in visible form, was sustained by his own creation which he himself sustains in being. His obedience on the tree of the cross reversed the disobedience at the tree in Eden; the good news announced by an angel to Mary, a virgin subject to a husband, undid the evil lie that seduced Eve, a virgin espoused to a husband… that is why the Lord proclaims himself the Son of Man, the one who renews in himself that first man from whom the race born of woman was formed; as by a man’s defeat our race fell into the bondage of death, so by a man’s victory we were to rise again to life” (St. Irenaues, bishop of Lyon who died in 202. This quotation is from his famous treatise, Against Heresies).

We pray: Grant that your people, we pray, almighty God, may be ever watchful for the coming of your Only Begotten Son, that, as the author of our salvation himself has taught us, we may hasten, alert and with lighted lamps, to meet him when he comes. We ask this through Him who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us! St. Juan Diego, pray for us!

+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Thursday

Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Sprit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (1:26-38).

The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection: Please check the parish website later this afternoon for an audio recording of my homily from today's Mass (click here for audio). Here is the text (reading time- 5 minutes).

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you: Greetings to you, Mary. God was a present reality and relationship in your life. Actually, from the first moment of your conception, in the womb of your mother, St. Anne, the Father totally consumed your life so as to fill you with His life, His Divine Life, His grace. He kept you free from all sin the moment of your pure, your immaculate, conception.

Blessed are you among women: The Father chose you, and you alone for this very special and essential role, integral to His plan of salvation for his sons and daughters. He chose you, from all women, to be the Ark of the New Covenant, to carry inside of you He who would bring forgiveness, healing and eternal life to those who share in His Eucharist. You, and you alone play a unique part in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Why you and not someone else? Answer: Because that’s the way God wanted it.

And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus: but your role does not supplant the role of the one you brought to life. He is the means by which salvation and eternal life is offered to the world. With your “yes” (Lk 1:38) to God, given through the angel Gabriel, set in motion of series of events planned since the beginning of time. The Father’s plan culminates in the Death and Resurrection of His Son, but He could not have accomplished that without your voluntary assistance. And in this way, you teach us what it means to say “yes” to God. You invite us to follow your example and proclaim: Let it be done to, in, and through me what you will, Father. I am your servant. Mary, you teach us, how to be disciples and say “yes” to the Father’s plan in our life.

Holy Mary, Mother of God: you are Theotokos: the God-Bearer. This is the great mystery of your life: how could a human woman bring to life the very God who created her? This is a great mystery: a great miracle: God exercising total control over the laws of nature that He Himself created to accomplish His plan. You gave to God a human body that He might know fully what it means to be human. And because of your own immaculate conception in your mother’s womb, you were a worthy vessel to carry He who is pure Holiness. And that’s why we see your image in white and blue: colors of purity and of divinity.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death: because of your flawless discipleship and exemplary holiness your Father and Creator and Son, raised you into heaven without having tasted the sting and corruption of death. You now sit incorruptible and without blemish at the feet of your Son interceding for us- your spiritual children. You pray for us, constantly, to your Son. And this is a great place of Hope for us: what son could refuse the requests of his mother? You constantly ask your Son to send to us the virtues and openness to the Father’s presence in our life that exemplified your own.

Mary, you are the Mother Of Jesus, the Mother of God; you are our Mother; you are own Queen of Peace; you remind us what it means to say yes to the Father’s plan in our life, and the reward that comes from a lifetime of Service, Love, Prayer and Forgiveness.

Amen: This I believe!

We Pray: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a worthy dwelling for your Son, grant, we pray, that, as you preserved her from every stain by virtue of the Death of your Son, which you foresaw, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to your presence. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Wednesday

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (11:28-30).

Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Reflection: “To us Christ is all! If you have a wound to heal, he is the doctor; if you are parched by fever, he is the spring; if you are oppressed by injustice, he is justice; if you are in need of help, he is strength; if you fear death, he is life; if you desire Heaven, he is the way; if you are in darkness, he is light… Taste and see how good is the Lord: blessed is the man who hopes in Him” (St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan who died in 397, from a treatise called De Virginitate).

We pray: Almighty God, who command us to prepare the way for Christ the Lord, grant in your kindness, we pray, that no infirmity nay weary us as we long for the comforting presence of our heavenly physician. We ask through Him, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Ambrose, pray for us.

In the + name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Praying our Way to Bethlehem

A few opportunities to pray the way to Bethlehem

Mary, Queen of Peace Christmas Novena
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Dec. 18-20; beginning at 7pm
Hymns, Psalms, Scripture readings and a sermon. This is an ancient form of prayer: it quiet, meditative, dimly lit; it's a quiet and beautiful to way to pray!
Sunday - Fr. Craig
Monday - Fr. Bob
Tuesday - Deacon Tom

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday, December 17 - 3-5pm
Monday, December 19 - 7:30 - ? (after the Novena until all have celebrated; all 5 priests from Webster will be at MQP)
Tuesday, December 20 - 6pm-7pm (before Novena) and then 7:30pm until all have celebrated (after Novena)
Wednesday, December 21 - after 6:45am Mass and after 8am Mass

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

By way of reminder

Hey gang,
Don't forget, Thursday is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation.

Masses are celebrated at 6:45, 8 and 9am; and then 7pm.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us, now and at the hour of our death. Amen!

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Tuesday

[Today's Daily Dose comes from Deacon Tom.]

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A reading from the Prophet Isaiah (40:1-11).

Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

A voice says, "Cry out!" I answer, "What shall I cry out?" "All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. Though the grass withers and the flower wilts,
the word of our God stands forever."

Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

REFLECTION (By Deacon Tom): Isaiah is pretty clear about our Advent mission in today’s First Reading:

Prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country shall be made a broad valley.

And keep in mind that Isaiah isn’t referring to the obstacles, ditches, bumps and potholes in the people we meet.  He is talking about US.  The terrain that needs fixing is the landscape of OUR HEARTS.  WE are being called to do nothing less than to clear a path for God.  To make room for Him.  To make our lives shovel-ready this Advent so that Christmas can truly transform and reshape us.

Through this reading, and the readings throughout Advent, the Church wants us to know that Advent is not merely a waiting game.  Advent is not about killing time until Christmas.  It’s a time of preparation when we are called to scan the horizon of our lives.

God has deemed us worthy of salvation.  Think about that, for a moment.  God has found YOU and ME worth saving…and at Christmas we celebrate his sending his only Son to do just that.  He is poised to pour out his love and his gifts on us.  But we can’t come to God asking him to fill us this Advent…when we are already full to the brim of other stuff: Dumb stuff.  Meaningless stuff.  Worthless stuff.  Stuff of THIS world.  Not when we were made for HEAVENLY stuff.

§  We are asked to look closely and find the deep valleys of envy and greed and selfishness that need to be filled in…and to fill them with Christ.

§  We are invited to seek out the places that are empty and hollow, places where we have never invited God in.  Our jobs, our families or our alone time.  Grab them…and fill them with Christ.

§  We are asked to endure the pain of focusing on those rugged stretches of land.  Parts of our lives that are hard and sharp, rigid and hurtful.  The grudges, the gossip, the lies and the foul thoughts, words and deeds.  Find them…find ALL of them…and cleanse them with Christ.

§  What is getting in the way?  What has come between you and Jesus?  What has you side-tracked, detoured and diverted from his love and his light?  Are you too busy, too stressed, too distracted?  It’s time to make straight God’s path, God’s path to YOU.

John was seen as a prophet because he had a calling and a capacity to see the deeper things, the things that mattered.  It’s that capacity we need to rediscover ourselves this Advent, and we’re already two candles down on that wreath, with only two more to go.

And yet, is there a better, more appropriate time to make things simpler and truer?  To open our eyes to what is really important?

We pray: O God, who have shown forth your salvation to all the ends of the earth,

grant, we pray, that we may look forward in joy

to the glorious Nativity of Christ.

We ask this through Him, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Nicholas, pray for us.

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Daily Dose - 2nd Monday

We pray + in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (5:17-26).

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”- he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Lord!

Reflection: Jesus- the Divine Physician!  This is probably the easiest way that I identify with Jesus. I’m still working on getting my heart and head around Jesus as my Brother but I have no problem praying to Him as the Divine Physician; He that is capable of healing and restoring and even of raising from the dead. But Jesus healing ministry is always less about the physical dimension of that healing and more about the spiritual healing that each one of us need. Notice the Gospel reading today, he tells the man that his sins are forgiven- that’s a spiritual act. There are many things to say here, but I’ll limit myself to one: we all need spiritual healing. We all yearn to hear those words from Jesus: ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ If it’s been a while I invite you to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation. In that sacrament, Jesus himself is present in the person of the priest; we enter the confessional lying on a stretcher, weighed down by our sins; we present our sins to Jesus and listen to those beautiful words of absolution offered by the priest. Those words of absolution will resonant in your ear and heart as deeply as the paralyzed man heart the words of Jesus: Craig Thomas, your sins are forgiven. I say to you rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home!

We pray: may our pray of petition rise before you, we pray, O Lord, that, with purity unblemished, we your servants, may come, as we desire, to celebrate the great mystery of the Incarnation of your Only Begotten Son. We ask through our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

In the + name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.