Advent is a time of self-reckoning. It is a season of intense intellectual and spiritual honesty, so that we may come to realize that, without Jesus, we are hungry, homeless, and cold. 

Charity is not a mere abstract ideal at Our Lady of Mount Carmel; rather, it is a lived reality, made manifest in your countless acts of service. 

We should keep those who serve and have served close in our hearts and minds - not just on November 11th, but every day.

Much more significant than the admiration we amassed is whether our lives ultimately directed others to Jesus.

Today, as we take time to honor the faithful departed for their fidelity in life and pray for them, it’s good and natural to remember that time will slip out of our hands too.

There is not  a single human experience to which he does not attend. Whatever we face on October 26, 2025 - or October 27th, or November 30th, or the whole of 2026, or the coming decade - God is the close-up, constant, unchanging presence in our ever changing world.

The more truly human we become, the more we can offer anyone we encounter - young and old alike - the genuine, loving relationship every human craves.

“…this past week we published our Annual Stewardship Report for the last fiscal year. You can access it at www.olmc.church/annual-report”

We’re all invited to be caught up in the mystery of God, and to recognize his fingerprints over all of creation.

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

“You cannot serve both God and mammon.” 

When we suffer, God is very near to us, drawing purpose out of our pain and transforming it into his own beautiful goodness.

Most importantly, we should ask ourselves “who.” Who am I seeking? 

This Labor Day, let’s take some time to be re-created with God’s own rest and playfulness. That way, whatever we face the next day, we can begin again with all the zest and zeal of God himself.

In reality, true greatness lies in loving obedience to God’s will, no matter how mundane it might seem at the time.

The joy our servers experienced on Monday was the fruit of their giving something, indeed, giving themselves, over to Jesus. The prospect of holding nothing back from our good Lord is often intimidating. But if we begin by committing ourselves to the little sacrifices that love demands of us on a daily basis, we will find our fears melting away and the impossible acts of love become not only possible, but desirable.

… (O)ur diverse ways of addressing Mary all point to the one mystery that the Son of God “came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” Nevertheless, taking time to admire this “icon not made by hands” in her different aspects only inspires us to greater love for her and the child she carries into the world.

Every day, we can follow the example of one Lydia or the other. We can pursue our own selfish ends, thereby slamming doors on others who need our thoughtfulness to flourish. Or we can pursue the good of others, thereby opening those doors farther and wider than anyone dreamed possible.

I’m humbled by the opportunity to represent OLMC at such a meaningful gathering of Catholic leaders, and I’m gratified to report back that the work we’re doing as a parish and school is an inspiration to others near and far. 

We share the faith with our children because it’s who we are: because we invest so much of ourselves into it, and because it has served us well and allows us to serve others well.