Advent’s Call to Renewal

Dear Parishioners and Visitors, 

Advent arrives for most North Americans with her violet veil of growing darkness as experienced in shorter days. She also startles us awake to ready the way of the Lord, both at the end of time and at Christmas. Doing both well may feel like climbing a mountain!

The book of Isaiah brims with enticing metaphors, many of which visit us at Advent, as on this first Sunday, when we are invited to climb the Mountain of the Lord. Isaiah’s peak is the highest, drawing all nations and peoples. 

Let us take comfort that when Isaiah speaks of climbing, he speaks of nations and peoples, not individuals. The expectation is that we walk together as a community of faith, helping one another along the way and leaving nobody behind.  

Paul’s letter to the Romans and Matthew’s gospel remind us that we must climb soberly, keeping our eyes fixed on the destination, not distracted by the many lures and temptations that lead to the dead ends of wasted time and emptiness. Awake! Let us climb with the prophets of Advent, putting our time and resources to what makes for an abundant harvest of justice and peace in a troubled world.  

Advent’s call to renewal comes to us through the liturgy where at St. Barbara Parish we have taken on the renewal of greater and more focused assembly participation. Instruments, cantors and choirs will always be a part of worship at the Mission and their role is to enhance our sung prayer, yet the most beautiful sound and the most essential choir is the full voice of the engaged assembly. May our voices ring out at Mass, joining the choirs of angels this Advent season and always, whether it be on the Mountain of the Lord or around the lowly Bethlehem stable. 

Together with you in Advent hope,

Fr. Daniel F. Barica, ofm