1st Sunday of Advent (December 3, 2023)

Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel to be watchful and alert. While Our Lord was speaking primarily about the coming of the Parousia, His warning can also be applied to the ever-growing variety of attacks upon the dignity of the human person.
From threats to conscience rights to a growing desire to patent human embryo to the latest push to legalize euthanasia, we Christians need to keep abreast of current challenges so as to have a ready answer for our friends and colleagues who might uncritically embrace them.
Only then can we withstand the pressure and keep “firm to the end” and say to the Father with Isaiah, “Would that You might meet us doing right, what we were mindful of You in our ways!”

That Christians may follow the Gospel mandate to “Be on guard” against all forms of disregard for the sanctity of human life, we pray to the Lord ...