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The image of a wedding is frequently used throughout the Old Testament to describe God’s relationship with his Chosen People, Israel, such as in our First Reading today (Isaiah 62:1-5). Though Israel was often unfaithful, God always took her back, forgave her, and turned her sadness into joy. As she awaited the coming of the Messiah, Israel’s hopes were expressed in terms of a wedding – a time of great rejoicing and celebration. Like abundant wine, God’s blessings would be poured out on his people in full measure.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and the official end to the Church’s observance of the Christmas season. After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, he was praying when Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove; and a voice came from the heavens declaring, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22). God the Father favored his Son, Jesus. Rightfully so, since Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God. He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, as our Nicene Creed boldly proclaims. If we have any doubt regarding how God felt about his Son or the importance of his mission, the Gospels make it clear for us. The descending of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus in the form of a dove after his baptism was significant for two reasons: (1) it was a clear sign that Jesus was the promised Messiah anointed with the Holy Spirit, and (2) the Holy Spirit gave Jesus strength to fulfill his saving mission.

Fr. John 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 homemade 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. Take a moment to look around the church some time. You will see families of all sizes, shapes, and descriptions. Some are the biological variety, with a dad and mom and children of different ages. Some may be blended or adopted, foster families or families with only one parent in the home. Sometimes it is grandparents who open their homes to their grandchildren, or siblings who share an apartment and function as a family. Maybe the time has come for an elderly relative to move into your home.

Christmas is nearly here!. It may be a very busy time for you, but please take the time to read the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke. You will hear about Elizabeth, her husband Zechariah, the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph and the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. If you do this, you will likely be better prepared to celebrate with joy the birth of our Savior this Christmas.

Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, is known as “Gaudete Sunday” and is marked by a rose colored candle on the Advent wreath. The use of the rose-colored candle rather than a purple one symbolizes “the light at the end of the tunnel” so to speak – that Christmas is getting nearer. 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 drawing near. The season of Advent is one of preparation and anticipation. Today, as the celebration of the Birth of the Lord approaches, we are filled with joy.

Many of us may be living lives that are full but not fulfilling. We may be overwhelmed with responsibilities and worries, consumed by busyness, clutter, or demands being made upon us. What we really long for is peace, wholeness, and simplicity. We are in a holy season that unfortunately has been overrun by consumerism. Many people will be stressing out trying to come up with the perfect gift for the person who already has too much “stuff” to begin with. Indeed, many people feel trapped by possessions, time, and work. The more possessions they have, the less time they have for themselves and others because of the pressure to get even more or “better” possessions. This might be a good time to take a few moments of silence and reflection, and ask ourselves if this is what we really want to keep on doing?

Have you ever wondered about the end of the world? The end of the world is a fascination shared by many people. Predictions about how and when the world might end are commonplace. In today’s Gospel, even Jesus offers a scenario as to how the world might end. He tells his disciples that the sun, moon and stars will change; the seas will roar; and the heavens will be shaken. He warns that when all this happens the end is near, and then cautions his listeners to remain alert and vigilant, steadfast in faith and persistent in strength.

Today’s Solemnity of Christ the King always takes place on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time just before the beginning of Advent and the start of a new liturgical year. In Advent, we prepare for the two comings of Christ - as a baby in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, and his return as a King in glory at the end of time. Today’s celebration of the Kingship of Jesus prepares us for both comings of the Christ.

On Thursday of this week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Family members who may live great distances apart try to come together for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is about families. Thanksgiving is also about turkey and stuffing, and cranberry sauce, and all the favorite side dishes that have been passed down from one generation to another. Thanksgiving is about watching football on TV, taking a walk in the autumn sunshine as the falling leaves rustle around your feet, visiting with neighbors, and Thanksgiving is about the afternoon nap to recover from the big dinner. And for some, Thanksgiving is about looking at all the advertising circulars and planning their shopping trips.

This weekend, we will join other parishes of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in renewing our commitment to sacrificial giving (“tithing”) as the means of financial stewardship within the parish. Many of our parishioners have embraced sacrificial giving and I am grateful for your commitment to God and to our parish. Your “Attitude of Gratitude” is a blessing to our parish and to your personal life as well. There is no doubt that we find ourselves in difficult economic times and many people are suffering the effects of unemployment or underemployment. Others have seen their retirement “nest egg” decline significantly. Still, there is much to be grateful for because in spite of the current economic hardships, we continue to have a much higher standard of living than most of the people of the world.

There sure is a lot of “love” in today’s Scripture Readings! In the First Reading (Deuteronomy 6:2-6), Moses tells the Israelites to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” The Second Reading (Hebrews 7:23-28) reminds us that Jesus gave himself as the perfect sacrifice for all of us – the ultimate sign of God’s love. Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 18) contains the refrain – “I love you, Lord, my strength.” And in the Gospel (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus adds a new commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which is taken from Leviticus 19:18.

This coming Thursday, 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, & 6:30 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.

Today’s Gospel touches the very heart of discipleship and that is sacrifice and service for others. If you had one wish, what would you ask for? Good health and long life? Wealth? Power? The conversion of loved ones? How many of us would honestly ask for meaningful work with a lot of suffering and few external rewards?

The Gospel reading today (Mark 10:17-30) is very familiar to most of us, but one that we may be tempted to ignore because we think it does not apply to us. It is important to remember, however that Jesus is speaking to each of us in our particular circumstances in life.

October is designated at “Respect Life Month” and today, in particular, is observed by the Catholic Church as “Respect Life Sunday.” Since the time of Christ, the Catholic Church has had a consistent ethic of life. As a Church, we recognize that all persons have an inherent human dignity having been created in the image and likeness of God, and it is our obligation to uphold the dignity of all human life.

Last February was the beginning of our Annual Catholic Appeal campaign for 2018. Unlike the tithing renewal that we will do each November, in which we commit ourselves to a weekly tithe to the support of our parish, the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) is our opportunity to consider the needs not just of our own parish, but of Catholics across the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, many of whom are not only our “spiritual” brothers and sisters in Christ, but are also literally our brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, as well!

Most people today like success. Almost daily, through a wide variety of media, our attention is often drawn to those who are the wealthiest, the most powerful, the most beautiful, the most fashionable, and even to athletes and teams with the most wins. Their activities grab the headlines or the lead story on the evening news; their photos appear regularly in the social media, and their lives can dominate our conversations. At times we may desire what they appear to have – fame and fortune. We can begin to use these ideas of “success” as a standard for our own vision of what it means to be “successful.”

In today’s Second Reading, James puts a special emphasis on that fact that that our faith cannot be empty or shallow. We must put our faith into action if it is to mean anything at all. Do we contribute money or time to the St. Vincent de Paul Society to help the poor of our community? Do we volunteer time to help at food banks or to visit the elderly or the imprisoned? Do we assist in a liturgical ministry as an usher, lector, choir member, or altar server? These are just a few examples. We must be willing to put our faith into action if we are to be an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ.

The coming days are rich with feast days of the Church. On Wednesday 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.