Adult Faith Formation & Initiation

It is fairly well known that the word “Christmas” is derived from the Middle English “Christ’s Mass.”  While our name for this holiday still resonates with most people today, this name, along with many of its modern traditions are derived from England and English speaking countries.  But even though the name is fairly modern, the purpose of the celebration, giving recognition to the birth of Jesus, or the Nativity, goes back to the early 4th century.  In pagan Rome, it was not unusual to celebrate the birthdays of their gods.  The early Christians, therefore, in an ironic twist, took this opportunity to celebrate the day when our God was born into this world as a man.  To this day the celebration of the birth of Our Lord remains a major feast day, but the Church has begun to abandon the old Middle English name for the holiday in favor of a more accurate translation of the old Latin name for the feast: Dies Natalis , the Nativity of the Lord. The Word for the Nativity of the Lord If you

Throughout this season of Advent we have been focused on the ancient prophecy of the coming of a messiah, and how through Jesus we have the fulfillment of that prophecy.  This Fourth Sunday of Advent is no different as we read more about what to expect with the coming of this savior: The Word for the 4th Sunday of Advent Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Romans 1:1-7 Mathew 1:18-24 Our first reading is again from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  This week we go back to an earlier time where King Ahaz is in trouble.  The Assyrian Empire is on the move.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel is under threat and King Ahaz of Judah is concerned that Jerusalem and his kingdom are next.  Rival forces are converging on Jerusalem, so Isaiah is called by the Lord to go and meet with Ahaz and begs him to stand firm in his faith in the Lord.  Ahaz, on the other hand, is more comfortable putting his trust in the might of the Assyrians.  Our passage this Sunday picks up the story.  The Lord is upset w

Patience.  Good things are coming and are almost here, so rejoice!  This is Gaudete Sunday (from the Latin “to rejoice”), the Third Sunday of Advent.  We celebrate this Sunday because we are now past the halfway point of our Advent observance.  For this one day we put away the violet color of Advent and bring out the Rose-colored vestments and décor – the color you get when you mix the purple of Advent and the white of Christmas.  We light the rose-colored candle in our Advent wreaths as we joyfully count the remaining days to Christmas.  Our readings remind us of the good things to come, but good things only come to those who wait… The Word for the 3rd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 Psalm 146, 6-7, 8-9, 9-10 James 5:7-10 Mathew 11:2-11 Our first reading, again, is from Isaiah.  Here the prophet sings of the great things to come, and the land itself will rejoice and bloom.  Isaiah goes to great lengths to paint us this glorious picture of Zion, but we must also recognize that thi