Today, we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the new Liturgical Year. Advent is the time of preparation for the solemnity of Christmas.

Our gospel today presents the figure of Saint John the Baptist and his mission: “Prepare the way of the Lord! Straighten up your paths!"

John the Baptist came into the world as a witness in order to give evidence of the light of Jesus so that everyone would come to faith and conversion.

We are on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Our gospel today recounts Mary’s Annunciation story. Her ‘yes’ to the invitation of God to be the mother of Jesus.

One of the many questions, I heard from people this Christmas is this, with the challenging moment we are facing now, do we still celebrate Christmas?

Allow me to greet each and every one a merry and joyful Christmas! My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are gathered together to give praise and thanksgiving to God who gave us his son.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Year after year, we hear the same scripture readings on Christmas day. And yet, there is always something new the readings bring us.

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. God gave us His Son to come and live in a family.

What is the invitation of this celebration? Epiphany reminds us that we must strive by all means to lead all of our friends and family to encounter and know Jesus.

Today we commemorate the Baptism of the Lord. In our gospel, the evangelist Mark narrates to us this event rich in symbolism.