Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ

Welcome to the website for Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. I hope that this site will be a useful source of information that guides you to programs that will enrich your faith. May you discover blessings here as you make your way along the Christian life. 

God bless you and may Our Lady keep you,

Fr. Michael R. Garcia

Advent 

Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ's Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight. 

— Universal Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 39 

I hope you’re as excited as I am about the season of Advent. But if you’re not, I understand. Anytime there’s a change in our focus or routine; it can provoke different emotional responses in each of us. Advent is meant to be a time of joyful anticipation, but for some people, it’s a time of anxiety and stress or even a time of sadness and loneliness. But whatever emotional state you’re in right now, don’t lose sight of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. 

Advent is full of signs and symbols of hope. For example, the color violet reminds us of the night sky just before dawn and the light of a new day. Sometimes after a bad day, week, or month, we long for a “new dawn.” This longing is especially true for those whose lives can be a daily struggle. Many people wrestle with difficulties like the death of a loved one, loss of a job, financial hardship, breakup of a close friendship, the suffering of illness, failures of the past, the weight of sins, and more. These folks aren’t feeling the same joy that others are. But Advent reminds us that no matter what we are going through, good or bad, we have hope in Jesus Christ, who came to free us from darkness and bring us into the kingdom of light. 

Advent is also a time of waiting and watching, a time to stay alert for the coming of Jesus. But to do that, we must set aside distractions that waste our time and energy, especially the commercial and material temptations that are prevalent during the season. 

The following are some practical things you can do this Advent to focus on this time of waiting and watching.  

First, start by reducing your TV, Internet, and social media usage. Instead, use that extra time for bonding with family members, relatives, and friends. Put down your phones and have good conversations about life and faith, and don’t forget to share your hopes and dreams. Likewise, reach out to those who are sick and homebound during this time, so that know their lives are meaningful and, most importantly, that they are loved. 

Secondly, spend less time and money at shopping malls and on pointless entertainment. Take a break from the casinos. Instead, use that extra time and cash to help the poor or some other Catholic charity. 

Again, I’m not suggesting that you eliminate fun activities or not buy Christmas presents, etc. Rather, I’m encouraging you to reign in the hustle and bustle of this time, which can distort the “reason for the season.” Our hearts and minds should be intent on living the message of Advent fully, and not on giving in to the commercial or materialistic attractions associated with it. 

Thirdly, use this time to renew your prayer life and do some spiritual reading. Spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament, read the Bible, listen to sacred music, and talk to your children and grandchildren about spiritual things. Invite others to Mass. And if you haven’t prayed the rosary in a while, now is a good time to restart. It’s also beneficial to read some Advent meditations by the saints and recent popes. 

Finally, you can prepare your heart and mind this season by participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It’s an excellent time to cleanse the soul of sin in anticipation of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. It doesn’t matter what parish you go to, or what Catholic priest you see, get to confession! 

May this time of Advent indeed be “a period of devout and expectant delight,” as we journey together toward the joy of Christmas. 

Fr. Mike