November 27-28

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, 

Often in life things happen quickly and we find ourselves unprepared.  So it seems with Advent. Who hasn’t asked themselves,”… you mean it’s here already? Indeed it is! Happily this year we have nearly four full weeks of this season of preparation before  we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus  Christ. How then shall we use this time? Let us look  to what mothers do when they anticipate the birth  of their child. A nursery is generally cleaned, painted,  decorated and made into a welcoming place for the  newborn. There is extraordinary excitement even in  the midst of calm and meditative waiting. These very  common responses of an expectant mother are also  a profound lesson for how we can prepare our souls  for the birth of Christ. 

Of course, Our Lord has already been born, but spiritually He desires to be, in a sense, born again in our  hearts and souls. Thus we must prepare ourselves  for that rebirth. We ask, “Have I prepared my soul to  welcome the King?” Has our soul become cluttered  and dusty with sin? Is it a fitting place to welcome a  new-born? God in His mercy and graciousness has  given us the means to prepare the nursery of our  souls—Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  During Advent, amid the hustle and bustle of the  season, our first priority should be to make a good  Confession. As you know, your priests are available  daily, before and after Mass to hear confessions. We  also have, at St Mary Magdalen, Confessions from  10:30 to 12 noon every Saturday. In case of a funeral  we will hear confessions at St John’s. 

May God bestow wondrous graces upon you during  this Holy Season as we prepare for the Coming of the  Lord. 

In His Peace, 

Father Langan