Dear sisters and brothers in Christ:

The new liturgical year has begun. Welcome to the season of Advent, the season of preparing the coming of our Lord. The word, ‘Advent’, roots from Latin, Adventus which means coming. Indeed, it is a time of waiting, longing, and even begging with a heartfelt prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus” every day. Due to our busy schedule and life style, we tend to forget the fact that Christ will come as he promised in Luke’s Gospel, “the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Lk 21:27), and no one knows the time and date of his second coming. Jesus says, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:33).

While we are preparing for the great celebration of Christmas, that is, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14), we also prepare for his coming by examining our conscious and confessing our sins. We ask Jesus to come to us in his mercy. That is the precise reason why we decorate the season of Advent with purple, the color of repentance.

It has been a tradition among the Catholics, especially German-speaking districts, that the family begins the season of Advent with the lighting of the Advent wreath, decorated with small ornaments, and placed on the dining room table, or a coffee table. Then whenever they pray together, they light the candle reminding themselves to prepare for the celebration of Christmas and his second coming. I would like to suggest that all Christ the King families have this wonderful tradition as their family one. If you have never done that, I hope that you will be able to begin this year. If you are doing it every Advent season, please invite the children and other relatives to be part of this wonderful tradition with prayer. I am sure that this will help the family to be united one another through this simple yet profound tradition during this holy season.

I am also very excited to announce that Pope Francis declares this year as the Year of Consecrated Life, beginning from today and ending on February 2, 2016, the World Day of Consecrated Life. Some of us have been impacted by the life witness of all brothers and sisters in Christ living consecrated lives in the past. They are hidden workers to build God’s kingdom by teaching in the schools, taking care of the sick and the poor, and defending the people who are marginalized from the society. It is our time to recognize and appreciate their dedicated life to Christ.

Please visit our newly renovated website, www.ctkbelton.org. Also in the website, there are new information regarding online giving with WeShare and Christ the King parish app available in both iPhone and Android-based phone. If you are interested in offering a special gift to our Baby Jesus, please visit the website for more information. I will share all the details in the near future.

I pray that you will have a blessed and faith-filled season of Advent. 

Come, Lord Jesus!