On this the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the ancient prophecy is remembered and on Christmas Eve and Day we will remember how it was fulfilled, two thousand and eighteen years ago at Bethlehem: Christ was born!

The Gospel for this last Sunday of Advent relates how Mary, having conceived the Christ Child by the power of the Holy Spirit, goes in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth had conceived a child in her old age who was John the Baptist.

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From the Heart of the Pastor . . .

STAFF DIRECTORY

Pastor, ext. 111 Fr. John M. Phillips, V.F. fr.john@holyfaithchurch.org

Associate Pastor, ext. 113 Fr. fremmanuel@holyfaithchurch.org

Deacon, ext. 109 Dcn. Michael Demers dcn.michael@holyfaithchurch.org

Letty Valentin Director

Adult Faith Formation, Letty Valentin Director

, Cristina Logan, Director

Sr. Adell Lininger, SND, Director

TiAnna Rosario McCabe, Youth & Young Adult Minister

Dcn. Michael Demers, Director

But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha least among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel…

He shall be peace. (Micah 5:1a, 4a)

This journey in haste by Mary was to help her cousin in what surely must have been a difficult pregnancy due to Elizabeth’s age. This message reminds us also why Christ came into the world: to inspire serving others with divine love. Another way to say it is that God gave us the Gift of his Son so that in him we may become gift-givers in this world. “And the greatest gift is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Christmas is about to be celebrated now and I encourage all to welcome our visitors to Holy Faith. We are about to imitate the shepherds in the Christmas story:

Shepherds why this jubilee? …Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing, Come, adore on bended knee,

Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

(From “Angels We Have Heard on High”)

Continuation: from the Heart of the Pastor ...

Christmas Eve and Day Schedule

Dec. 24: No Morning Masses

4:00pm: Christmas Prelude Music

5pm Christmas Eve Mass (Lots of children!)

7:30pm Christmas Eve Mass

9:30pm Christmas Prelude Music

10:30pm Christmas Night Mass

Dec. 25 11am only Mass of the Day

Yours in the Heart of Christ,

Fr. John