Third Sunday in Advent
Sunday, December 11, 2022
Commemoration of La Virgen de Guadalupe
By: Rev. Rodriguez

Signs of Hope: The Star from Heaven

Blessed is the fruit of Mary’s womb, + Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

“A great portent appeared in heaven:
a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was pregnant
and was crying out in birth pangs (Rev 12:1-2a).”

What Lady is this, silhouetted by the sun, mustered up by the moon, crowned with stardust, in labor? Is she Maris Stella? Mater Dolorosa? Theotokos? Regina Coeli? Help of Christians? Flower of Carmel? A simple answer need not look further; verse 5:

“And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron but her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne.”

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Third Sunday in Advent
Sunday, December 11, 2022
By: Deacon Ben Remmert
Isaiah 35:1-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-1

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ child. Amen.

Two of our readings this morning surround us with the call to be patient! Patience in life and upon the coming of Christ. If you have difficulty being patient in either area, especially during this time of the year, then this message is for you.

John the Baptizer, the man called and assigned to be the prophet who would prepare the way for the Lord, finds his freedom has been restrained. But this is not the reason why He prepared all those years to be the Messiah’s witness. John wants to be out there in the world, continuing to spread the news of repentance and the good news of the coming Savior. Yet, with all his desire to serve the Lord, John finds himself restrained. In John’s mind, this restraint should not be happening for you see, Jesus the Messiah was now out and about, so surely He would free John from prison.

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