Fr. William's Notes

Reflection on the Gospel Matthew 1:18-24 ​ A fundamental conviction is expressed in Christian piety by the role given to Mary the Mother of Jesus. From earliest times Mary has typified the perfected Church of the end-time. ​ When Christians have asked themselves whether it is really possible that the redemption should be completed in the world by people themselves so unredeemed as yet, the veneration of the Immaculate Conception or total sinlessness of Mary, attributed to the

Gaudete Sunday Today is Gaudete Sunday which in Latin means the “Sunday of Rejoicing.” To express this note of hope and exultation, the priest even wears rose colored vestments as an exception to the usual somber violet. For, within two weeks we will be celebrating the solemnity of the birth of Jesus Christ. After four weeks of meditating on the “last days” we now turn our meditative attention to Christmas, the historic “first coming” of the Lord among us some two thousand ye

Reflection on the Gospel Reading Matthew 3:1-12 The figure and message of John the Baptizer was harsh and yet attractive. Living a solitary existence John emerged from the desert (now in Transjordan), clothed in the rough garb reminiscent of the ancient prophets, preaching a startling simple message: Reform your lives because the reign of God is at hand! Unpolished, straightforward in his criticism of contemporary society, John’s spreading reputation from Jerusalem, all Judea

Reflection on the Second Reading Romans 13:11-14 Paul shared the early Christians’ expectation of Christ’s imminent return. He may have been one of the first apostles to proclaim this apocalyptic gospel drawn from late Jewish traditions. In this passage he urged the Romans to be unceasingly aware of the new order Jesus came to bring. They were to mirror his life in word and action. At the same time, as C.H. Dodd pointed out, the idea of the imminent “Day of the Lord” may have