On this fourth Sunday of Advent the gospel is Luke's story of the Annunciation.  We hear of Mary's willingness to open her life to God's plan for her and how, in doing so, she made our salvation possible.  In less than a week we will be celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas.  The Church has no problem telescoping the nine months of Mary's pregnancy into one week, just as it has no problem reducing the ages of anticipation for the first coming of Christ into the four weeks of the Advent season.  The Church has a wonderful way of relating to time.  For the Church, time is relative.  Through her liturgical life she invites us to experience time the way God does-- a thousand ages in his sight are like an evening spent in great conversation.  For God, no time is lost.  The past and the future are just as available to God as our right or left hand would be to us.
    This time of Advent has called us to cast our gaze forward in expectation, looking for the one who is to come.  Like all of the Advent characters, Isaiah, Mary, John the Baptizer, and Joseph we have come to expect God's action soon.
    Soon it will be Christmas, a time for us to celebrate what God is doing in our world right now, not only what he accomplished in Bethlehem so long ago.  This experience of hunger for Christ's coming and his being with us, is a part of every Eucharist.  With the priest we pray the words which conclude the doxology of the Our Father, Deliver us, Lord... as we wait the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."
    God bless you and your family this Christmas season and throughout the coming year!  Be counter-cultural, keep your Christmas decorations up, sing Christmas carols, and celebrate God-with-us for at least the duration of the Christmas season, which ends at sundown Monday, January 9th.  God's peace be with you!

Thank you for your generous support of St. Hilary Parish throughout the year.  During the holidays we often find the church crowded with faces that we have not seen before or for a very long time.  This year may be particularly difficult for some because of the recent changes in the Roman Missal.  What a great time for us to share the Christmas spirit by making these visitors welcome and a part of our Christmas celebrations.  Who knows?  Your cheerful smile and welcome embrace could bring them back to church after the holidays are over.  God bless you and grant you a very Merry Christmas!