"John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!'" Advent helps us reflect on how we fall short of the glory to which we are called. We heed the words of St. John the Baptist and repent.

"Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come." The joyful season of Advent begins!

"I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way..." On this Thanksgiving Day, we offer thanks to the Father for every good that we have, especially for his Son, Jesus, and for giving us a share of his Holy Spirit.

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell." We profess our faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, through whom the Father is reconciling all things to himself.

"By your perseverance you will secure your lives." No matter what calamities and hardships come our way, Jesus is our hope and our strength.

"He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." As the liturgical year winds down, we ponder death and the final things. We are encouraged by our hope in the Lord's resurrection.

"'Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.' And he came down quickly and received him with joy." God sees us and invites us to friendship with him. When we accept God's friendship, we are filled with joy.

"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God." In baptism, we became adopted daughters and sons of the Father and received the destiny of being Saints like those we celebrate today.

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Everything we have is a gift from God. We come before the Lord of Mercy to give thanks for his generosity, and to ask that our hearts be as merciful as God's.

"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Jesus teaches us to strengthen our faith by praying unceasingly!