Advent 2007

Dear Friends in Christ,

The season of Advent begins a new year of grace for God’s people. Grace is a free gift from God, not something God owes us for good deeds or good behavior. Nevertheless, the good works that God inspires in us can gain us his grace because of our union with Jesus in Baptism. “Filial adoption, in making us partakers by grace in the divine nature, can bestow true merit on us as a result of God’s gratuitous justice. This is our right by grace… making us ‘co-heirs’ with Christ and worthy of obtaining ‘the promised inheritance of eternal life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2009)

Of the different ways that we can merit God’s grace, the corporal works of mercy deserve special mention during this season of giving. Among these works are feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. During this season some of our parishioners are serving at the Armory in Santa Ana or helping at S.O.S. (Save Our Selves) or other charitable works. When we serve our brothers and sisters in need we know that we are serving Christ Himself because He identifies with the hungry, the homeless, and all those in need.

During this holy season of Advent we remember that Jesus came among us in the poverty of the stable 2000 years ago. He will come again at an unknown time in glory to judge all people. Let
us make it our aim to receive Christ when He comes today in the poor and the outcast. Thus we will make this season a time of grace and salvation with a joy beyond our expectations.

Sincerely,

Fr. Hildbebrand