3rd Sunday in Advent, Dec. 11, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 1:6-8; 19-28 “Make straight the way of the Lord”
Homily summary: In the churches in Rome, there is often a smile in the bas relief artwork that you see. This is because there is a smile in the hearts of those depicted. How do the stories of Christianity differ from the fairy tale stories, such as that of Pinocchio, or Snow White? These fairy tails may teach us lessons about life, but they don’t fulfill us with, or cause us, joy.
Do you ever wonder, “To what kind of life is God calling me?” or “How can I know God’s will?” or “Am I being called to religious life?” See our video, “Take one step at a time and become a Dominican Sister” on our website of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and see what awaits those who are called by God in this special way.
See the joy of those in the various stages of becoming a sister: aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate, and profession.
But stories of the faith touch our lives and fill them. The lives of the saints, the stories of the Gospels change us because they are real; they give us hope. Hope confirms in our hearts that there’s more to our life than this life. This hope is a person — is Jesus, born for us on Christmas. No wonder we’re so happy.