You Gotta Hear This Before You Go to Christmas Mass!

Sorry for the clickbait-ey title.  But I have a message I’d really like to get out to all those faithful Catholics before they attend Christmas Mass this year.  And even for those who have not been to the Church in a while.  Let’s talk about not only what’s the meaning of Christmas, but what this life is all about.  Share the truth this Christmas!!!  You can listen to my homily from this Sunday above, and if you haven’t seen the commercial I’m referring to, here it is below, and the Sunday readings to follow.

Homily download link.

Readings for the 4th Sunday in Advent

First Reading: Micah 5.2-5a

The Lord says to his people: “You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judea, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”
Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labour has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be peace.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Stir up your might, and come to save us.
Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand has planted.
But let your hand be upon the man at your right, the son of man you have made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10.5-10

Brothers and sisters: When Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God.’”
When Christ said, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the Law), then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.
And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1.39-45

Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”