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As we begin our post-Christmas observance of Ordinary Time, which will lead us into the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, February 26th), the Church invites us to look more closely at the public life of Jesus. While this year we will hear from the Gospel of Matthew on most Sundays, today we hear from John’s Gospel, telling us about John the Baptist identifying Jesus as the Lamb of God. It is primarily from this Gospel passage that we speak of Jesus as the Lamb of God in our liturgy. Why the word lamb? After all, a lamb is a young sheep, and the term could be used to indicate an unsophisticated, immature person.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and the official end to the Church’s observance of the Christmas season. Three of the four Gospels recall the Baptism of the Lord, each in its own way. The version we heard today, from the Gospel of Matthew, is unique in recalling that when Jesus came to the Jordan River, John the Baptist at first tried to “prevent him” from receiving baptism, saying that he was the one who needed to be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus replies, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Fr. Chris and I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the many acts of kindness that we have received in the past few weeks. I am humbled by the thoughtfulness of so many people who sent cards, or brought over home-made cookies and other gifts. A special “thank-you” also to all those who donated baby diapers and baby clothing to our “Giving Tree” to support Birthright in their mission to provide for mothers who are in need of assistance. May the Lord’s blessing be upon you throughout the new year.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Readings call us to attitudes and actions that can bring harmony and joy to our family life. In the First Reading (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14) echoes the lesson of the Fourth Commandment and emphasizes our call to obey, honor, respect and even revere our parents. He notes the many blessings that this reverent and respectful attitude can bring us.

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24) is sometimes referred to as the “Annunciation to Joseph,” as an angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in his dreams and reveals God’s plan for the birth of the Savior. What if Joseph had not obeyed Gabriel? In a small town like Nazareth where everyone knew everyone else, Mary’s pregnancy prior to moving in with Joseph as his wife would have been scandalous. And imagine what must have been going through Joseph’s mind when he became aware that Mary was with child and knew that he was not the biological father. Under the law he could have had her and her unborn child stoned to death, but any doubts he had were overcome by his love for Mary and he had decided to divorce her quietly so that no harm would come to her. But then came the message of the angel, encouraging him to take Mary as his wife.

Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, is known as “Gaudete Sunday” and is marked by a rose colored candle on the Advent wreath. The Latin word gaudete means “rejoice” and is taken from Philippians 4:4 in which Saint Paul declares: “Rejoice in the Lord always! I say it again, rejoice!” The title “Gaudete Sunday” thus refers to the joy that we feel as Advent is half over and Christmas is near. The season of Advent is one of preparation and anticipation. Today, as the celebration of the Birth of the Lord has nearly arrived, we are filled with joy.

We all spend a lot of time getting ready for Christmas. There’s the gifts, the cards, the decorating, the cooking, the visits to Santa, the children’s pageants. Why do we do all this? “Well, everyone else is doing it,” you might say. “We can’t be the only house on the block without Christmas lights.” There’s some truth to that. After all we want to join those who are celebrating the birth of Jesus. The gifts are meant to be an expression of our joy in God’s gift of His Son, for He so loved the world. The cards might seem insignificant, but they are really important. Perhaps there might be someone we drop a card to whose life will brighten when they hear from us. And as far as the children are concerned, we want them to be full of joy on Christmas and we need to spend time reminding them why this is a day of joy. The music specific to the Christmas season is important too. The carols get us in the mood to celebrate as they remind us what we are celebrating.

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of .Advent. The season of Advent is a period of preparation in which we await the celebration of the Birth of the Lord. Waiting is never a passive exercise. It always involves commitment on our part. Would we invite a guest to our home for dinner and then be surprised - and unprepared - when the guest shows up? No. We would clean the house and make preparations for a grand meal. When we say we are waiting for something, we cannot live as if we are waiting for nothing. Our waiting is a dedication and a preparation. Our Advent waiting dedicates us and prepares us for the coming of Christ. Advent is a season in which we should be particularly mindful of our need for repentance and good works as we listen to the long-ago cry of John the Baptist: ''Prepare the way of the Lord!"

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. In today’s First Reading (2 Samuel 5:1-3), as the Israelites anoint David as King of Israel, they recognize not only his success in battle but also his call by God to shepherd God’s people. The Israelites welcome David as king because of his care for them – the same care he gave to the sheep of his father’s flock before God called him to kingship.

In today’s Readings, we hear about things that will happen before Christ returns in glory. In the First Reading (Malachi 3:19-20), from the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi warns that the end is near, and that the final judgment is coming. In today’s Second Reading (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12), St. Paul admonishes the Thessalonians to be mindful of their own behavior and not worry about the indiscretions of others. This comes directly after his warning against deception regarding the Second Coming of Christ. And in the Gospel (Luke 21:5-19), Jesus warns his disciples that there will be wars and insurrections, earthquakes, famine, plague, awesome sights and many signs from the sky. These are dramatic predictions, and many of these things have been experienced throughout history, but keep in mind that Jesus also said that no one knows the day or hour of his return, except the Father in Heaven.

Next weekend is “Stewardship of Treasure” Sunday, and we will be invited to renew our commitment to Sacrificial Giving (tithing) as the principle means of stewardship within the parish. Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Stewardship is a way of life based on the premise that all that we have and all that we are have come from God and, as a way to thank God for all His many blessings, we return a portion of the time, talent, and treasure that have been given to us. Stewardship encourages a spirituality that deepens our relationship with the Lord. Stewardship involves intentional, planned, and proportionate giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 19:1-10), we heard the story of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus. I invite you to focus on the details of this passage. The encounter takes place in the town of Jericho, which is perhaps most famous for the battle that was fought there when the Israelites first entered the Promised Land at the end of the Exodus from Egypt. During that battle, the Israelite army issued battle trumpets, normally restricted to squad leaders, to every soldier. At night they marched around the city, blowing their trumpets and raised such a commotion, that the inhabitants of Jericho were terrified and surrendered without a fight. The walls came tumbling down.

This coming Friday, November 1st , we will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints which is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses will be held at 6:30 am, 8:15 am, and 5:30 pm. It is a day when we honor the lives of all saints – those officially recognized by the Church, as well as countless others known only to God. As part of the Apostle’s Creed, we acknowledge our belief in the “communion of saints.” The communion of saints describes the spiritual union that exists among the saints in Heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful living on earth.

The three Readings today bring to mind the meaning of persistence. In the First Reading (Exodus 17:8-13), as long as Moses kept his arms raised (eventually with the help of Aaron and Hur when Moses got tired), Joshua and the Israelite army prevailed in their battle against Amalek and his army. In the Second Reading (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2), St. Paul reminds Timothy to remain faithful to what he has learned and believed. In the Gospel (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus uses the parable of the persistent widow to remind his disciples about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

In our Second Reading today (2 Timothy 2:8-13) Saint Paul declares that “The word of God is not chained.” This message is written from prison, as Paul’s preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has landed him in jail and in chains. After his own conversion, Paul was willing to pay any price to bring the message of redemption to the ends of the earth. He suffered beatings, banishment, chains and imprisonment as a consequence of proclaiming the Gospel. The most prolific writer of the New Testament and the most travelled of any Apostle, Saint Paul literally went to the four corners of the known world of his day, to preach that there was a new and powerful way in which people were being called to live out their lives.

At the 12:00 noon Parish Fiesta Mass this coming Sunday, October 13th, a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish will be presented with the Archbishop’s St. Francis of Assisi Award for outstanding service in our parish. Each year, the Pastors of the Archdiocese nominate a person or couple from their parish to receive this award, and this year, I am pleased to announce that I have selected Mr. Joe Vigil for this honor.

The month of October is recognized as a month of special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with particular emphasis on the praying of the Rosary. The Catholic Church looks upon the Blessed Virgin Mary as not only the Mother of God, but also as the Mother of the Church. She is a model of faith, a sign of hope, and holds a special place in the Communion of Saints. God honored Mary above all human persons by inviting her to be the mother of His Son.

It is always interesting to reflect on the kind of people Jesus hung around with in the Gospels. More often than not, Jesus is found associating with and even dining with what the scribes and Pharisees considered to be socially unacceptable people – public sinners and outcasts. In fact, Jesus usually avoided the “acceptable people” for they had no real use for his message, and clearly resented his influence and ability to connect with the poor, the sinner, and the outcast. Over and over again, it is the “socially acceptable” people who question Jesus’ authority to speak on behalf of God, and even accuse him of being an accomplice of Satan when he healed the sick and forgave sinners. It becomes evident that they are the true “outcasts” for they are on the outside looking in – observing the good that Jesus is doing, but distancing themselves from him.

Today’s Gospel passage (Luke 15:1-32) contains three related parables. They are the parable of the shepherd going after the lost sheep, a woman searching diligently for a lost coin, and the familiar parable of the prodigal son which is unique to the Gospel of Luke. The common thread running through each of them is obvious. All three stories are about being lost and getting found.

The coming days are rich with feast days of the Church. On Monday, September 9 th we observe the feast day of St. Peter Claver, a Jesuit priest from Spain who provided ministry for the Black slaves who had been brought from Africa to Colombia in the 16th century. He attended to their physical and spiritual needs which were many, considering the harsh conditions in which they found themselves. On Thursday the 12th is the Feast of The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Mary” was a popular name among the Hebrew people, in memory of Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. Some scholars think that this name is perhaps related to an Egyptian word meaning “beloved,” which certainly fits Mary of Nazareth. She was so beloved by God that God chose her to be the Mother of Jesus, and for this purpose God preserved her from the stain of sin from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Ann (Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception). No sin would distort or destroy her relationship with God. We honor Mary’s name and the holiness that it represents, and we call upon her intercession in our times of need.