Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Welcome to the 3rd Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday – where we are called to REJOICE! We are called to rejoice because we know that the Lord is coming and our hearts are hopefully being awakened to His love and His desire to come to us not just as a figurative thing but a real thing in which He comes to live inside of us! REJOICE!!!

Now, I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but when you believe in the message that the record proclaims, you need to just go for it! That being said I want to ask if you’ve taken time to pray, to ask God if He is calling you to embark on the Exodus 90 Journey that will begin on January 21st and end on Easter. You’ll be doing penance for 40 days during Lent anyway, so why not just start 50 days earlier and make it a Lent that you’ll never forget?!

If right now you’re thinking that now isn’t a good time, let me ask you: When will it ever be a good time? Again, I’m not trying to pressure anyone into doing it, but I know the fruit that it has borne in my life and I want this for everyone (knowing that the fruit will be different for everyone). I’m also happy to report that I forget to include a couple of words in last week’s bulletin, and so you should know that under the list of penitential practices where it said “7 hours of sleep each night” it should say “AT LEAST 7 hours of sleep each night!” Sleep is good (actually it’s great!!!) Again if you’re interested please e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This week I simply want to encourage you to take time each day to pray and to remember the purpose of this season of preparation. We aren’t preparing for the best party ever or to give the greatest gift in the history of the world . . . because that gift has already been given. Let us take time to pray each day to prepare our hearts to receive the greatest gift in the history of the world which is given to us: The gift of Jesus’ presence in the World as a result of His infinite and eternal love for you.

Rejoice . . . Rejoice . . . Rejoice . . .

Fr. Romke

Reflection Questions for the 3nd Week of Advent:

Sunday: How would my life be different if I didn’t have God in it like the woman from China? If I’m honest, would my life look a lot different? Do I let God make a difference in my life?

Monday: Do the words “GOD IS LOVE” awaken a sense of meaning within me? Do I desire to enter into this reality of love and to allow myself to be changed by His love? Do I believe that I am loved? Can I open my heart to believe in this love that is true?

Tuesday: Do I spend time thinking about the gift and the POWER that was given to me at my baptism? How can I call upon this power and this gift in my day to day life? Am I aware of the next step that God wants me to take? Do I struggle to want to act on this information? Can I ask God to assure me of His love and His presence with me on my journey?

Wednesday: How would my life be different if I lived with a deeper awareness of God’s power and led this love lead me rather than being led by a sense of fear or obligation?

Thursday: If something bad were to happen to me today, how would I probably react? How would I react differently if I remembered that God is with me and that He already has a plan in place for my good?

Friday: Can I strive to ask God what He is calling me to in various moments throughout the day and then carry it out?

Saturday: How am I doing with carrying out the resolutions that came to me as I answered each of the above questions this week? Can I really try to double-down and act on them today?