Message from Fr. David – November 28, 2021

NEWS AND UPDATES

It’s almost hard to believe that Advent has arrived.  To be honest, I almost always begin the Advent season with mixed emotions.  While the excitement of Christmas does stir the heart and comfort the soul, I just can’t shake off the fact that another year is almost over.  If I don’t focus my attention on the here and now, I can easily be swayed to reminisce about days passed or daydream about what’s to come.  The power of Advent can help us to focus our attention on the here and now.  After all, isn’t that what the Lord exhorts us to do in our Gospel this weekend?…  ”Be careful…Be on watch and pray.”

Farmers hope for lots of rain right after they plant their corn.  Once it sprouts and gets a good start, they hope for a “dry period.”  The reason is to force the corn’s roots to grow downward in search of water, rather than stay on the surface.  Unless the tap root of the corn grows downward to the “water level,” the corn will wither and dry when the heat of summer sets in – it will have no way to draw up water.

Friends, our prayer life is like that.  God usually gives us a good start.  Then God lets a “dry period” set in to force our prayer roots to grow downward to the faith level, rather than stay on the surface at the feeling level.

What will you do this Advent to help your prayer root grow strong for when the heat of doubt and      spiritual dryness sets in?
May this Advent be the best Advent ever!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless.  There’s too much work to do.
–Dorothy Day