Peace and all Good! On this Second Sunday of Advent, we are once again inspired by Isaiah who presents us with a vision of a world of peace and justice. “Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” And he goes on to give a vision of a world turned upside down where there will be an extreme contrast between what was possible and what will be. The vulnerable will be safe in the company of predators— “Then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.” Yes, this is beautiful imagery, but imagery which speaks to a future full of hope. May we all be challenged to be instruments of peace this Advent.

This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, on Monday, December 9th. As the feast fell on a Sunday, it is moved to Monday and is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, however, it is the Patronal Feast Day for the United States. Advent reminds us of a strong, young, unwed mother‐to‐be, whose yes resounds throughout the ages as a model of radical discipleship. Please check the back page of the bulletin for the times of Masses.

This week, on December 12th, is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Under this title, Mary is the Patroness of all the Americas, including the United States. On this day we join our Latino sisters and brothers in special commemorations during the day to honor our Mother. Please see today’s bulletin for the schedule of devotions. I would especially invite the entire community to join in a festive bilingual Mass at 7:00 p.m. in Serra Center. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

This Friday, the 13th, is our Tree Lighting and Christmas Caroling! We will gather in front of the Mission Church at 6:30 p.m. to light up a beautiful Christmas tree and sing traditional Christmas Carols, together as a community. This will be followed by hospitality of brownies and cookies with hot chocolate and coffee. We hope to see you at this wonderful family event!

Lastly, as we celebrate the season of Advent, let us prepare with a spirit of repentance and forgiveness. Our celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is Tuesday, December 17th, at 1:00 p.m. See the bulletin for the times and details of the whole Reconciliation schedule. If you have not gone to Confession for a while, this would be an excellent time to do so. The Lord is kind and merciful! The full schedule of these events, as well as the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day schedule, can be found on the back page of this bulletin. Thank you for celebrating Advent and Christmas with us, here at Mission San Luis Rey Parish.

Love, Fr. Vince