Advent, 1st Sunday (A) Winter was coming, but were you prepared? Advent was coming, were you ready? Jesus is coming; are you prepared to meet him?

Some of our Protestant brothers and sisters use today's Gospel to justify "the rapture." But in the days of Noah, the evil people were taken and the good people were left. The rapture is the opposite: the good people are taken and the evil ones are left. The Catholic church does not believe in the rapture. We believe that Jesus will walk with the good people through difficult times. "He who perseveres to the end will be saved."

 When Jesus says, "One will be taken and one will be left," I think he means the experience of loosing those who were close to us.

How can we be ready when it's our turn? I recommend the old Catholic practice of seeing every bedtime as a little death. We never know if today is our last day on earth. Before you go to bed, prepare yourself to meet Jesus. Spend some time in gratitude. Where was Jesus present in your day? How did you respond to his presence? Say an Act of Contrition. Then make a resolution for tomorrow. 

Winter was coming. Were you prepared? Christmas is coming. Are you prepared? Jesus is coming. Are you ready to meet him?

(30 Nov 2025)

Going Deeper: Before bedtime, make three simple steps: Gratitude, Contrition, and Resolution.

Rest in Peace, Fr. Daren J Zehnle.

Introducing the New Album for 2026

Welcome to Season 16 of the Pilgrim Priest Podcast. This season is titled Breath Fire Light.

The new podcast year always starts with the first Sunday of Advent. I try to find a meaningful title for the podcast that reflects what is going on spiritually in my life and in the parishes. This year, the image that came to me was that of a fire that has almost burned itself out. There are just a few coals left flickering.

You breathe on the fire to breath life back into it. Then you add some kindling and keep breathing on it, coaxing it back into life. If you are successful, there is a moment when the kindling bursts into flame. Suddenly you have light!

Our parishes have grown cold and many Catholics are barely smouldering. We need the Holy Spirit to breathe on us and coax us into flame. When we catch fire, then we can start to be a Light to the nations again. Breath. Fire. Light.

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