Theological Status: Doctrinally Sound / Spiritually Cold
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Ephesus
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
🧐 Overview
Sermon Summary: A simple story about a man trying to save birds from a snowstorm provides a powerful and memorable explanation for why Jesus Christ had to be born as one of us to accomplish our salvation.
Big Idea: Now I understand why you had to become one of us to lead us to salvation. [00:25:07 ▶️ 📄]
Pastoral Analysis: The homily presents a sound and effective analogy for the necessity of the Incarnation, grounding the Christmas story in the redemptive logic of God's condescension. While the central proposition is orthodox, the application contains synergistic language ('allow Christ to come in'), and the observance of communion lacks the necessary biblical warnings, creating pastoral vulnerabilities that require attention.
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Ephesus — The sermon's core message on the Incarnation is orthodox and affectionate, but the failure to restrict communion to believers in good standing reflects a lack of protective love for the purity of the church and the well-being of its members.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Biblically Sound
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | While the Incarnation is rightly presented as God's initiative, the application uses synergistic language ('allow Christ to come in'), which obscures the monergistic work of God in applying salvation by suggesting human permission is the decisive factor. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | Multiple passages of Scripture were read and treated as the authoritative Word of God, forming the basis for the liturgical celebration. |
| Hermeneutic | ✅ PASS | The sermon correctly identified the central theme of the Gospel reading (the Incarnation of Christ) and used an extended analogy to explain its theological necessity, demonstrating a sound expository instinct. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | God is presented as compassionate, righteous, and condescending in His love, willing to become man to save His people. |
| Sacramentology | ❌ FAIL | Communion is administered without any stated restriction to believers or a warning against partaking in an unworthy manner, failing to biblically 'fence the table' as required by 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. |
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
Primary Text: Matthew 1:18-25 (Expository (Deep))
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 20 | Referenced: 1 | Alluded: 0
Passages Read Aloud:
Key References: Isaiah 45:8
Christological Connection: Redemptive Trajectory: The sermon uses the Incarnation (Immanuel) as the central redemptive act. The bird analogy serves to explain the theological necessity of the hypostatic union—that God had to become 'one of us' to effectively communicate and lead humanity to salvation, directly linking to the Gospel reading (Matthew 1:21: 'He will save people from their sins').
🧱 Sermon Outline
- Introduction: Fourth Sunday of Advent [00:20:41 ▶️ 📄] : Acknowledging the final candle lighting and the imminence of Christmas.
- The Story of the Humbug and the Birds [00:21:13 ▶️ 📄] : A story illustrating the necessity of the Incarnation for humanity to understand God's help.
- Conclusion: God's Message [00:25:16 ▶️ 📄] : Christ came because the Old Testament messages were not understood. The Word was made flesh.
💧 Sacraments & Ordinances
"Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ."
Fencing the Table (Communion):
- Believers Only Stated: ❌ No (Open Table Risk)
- Warning Against Unworthy Manner: ⚠️ None Detected
🗝️ Key Topics & Themes
- Incarnation : The necessity of God becoming human (Jesus Christ) to lead humanity to salvation.
- Advent : Preparation for the coming of Christ, symbolized by the four candles (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love).
- Immanuel : Meaning 'God is with us,' emphasized in the readings and the sermon's conclusion.
✅ Commendations
Homiletics | Excellent Use of Analogy
The story of the man and the birds is a clear, memorable, and theologically effective illustration of the necessity of the Incarnation. It makes a profound doctrine accessible without compromising its meaning.
Christology | Clear Defense of the Incarnation
The sermon's proposition, 'Now I understand why you had to become one of us to lead us to salvation,' is a strong and biblically faithful affirmation of the doctrine of the hypostatic union.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 Failure to Guard the Lord's Table
Root Cause: Ecclesiological Laxity: This practice stems from a modern therapeutic view that prioritizes inclusivity over holiness, treating the sacrament as a means of universal grace rather than a sign and seal specifically for the covenant community of repentant believers.
"Behold the Lamb of God, Behold He who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." [04:10]
Correction: 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 states, 'Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.'
🧠 Questions for Reflection
Use these questions for personal study or small group discussion:
- The speaker told a story about a man who couldn't understand why God would become human. What part of that story resonated most with your own questions or doubts about faith?
- The name 'Immanuel' means 'God with us.' How does the idea of God choosing to be *with* humanity, rather than just giving rules from afar, change your perception of Him?
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:00:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Emmanuel, call me, Emmanuel
[00:00:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Let's pray.
[00:01:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
The family of four walked the service.
[00:01:08] None of them showed up.
[00:01:41] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:02:51] and Recompense.
[00:03:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
of Christ.
[00:04:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Okay, let them.
[00:05:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Good morning.
[00:05:24] We welcome any visitors who join us for worship today as we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent.
[00:05:31] Please turn off your cell phones or set them to silent mode.
[00:05:34] For safety reasons, we ask that all children be accompanied by an adult when attending the restrooms.
[00:05:39] Our presider for this Mass is Father Engelbert Ofon, assisted by Deacon Joe Santon.
[00:05:46] Our gathering hymn is Holy Patron the Saluting, number 142 in the Breaking Bread, number 142.
[00:05:53] Everyone please stand.
[00:06:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Holy patron, thee saluting, Here we meet with heart sincere,
[00:06:19] As St. Joseph, all united, call on thee to hear our prayer.
[00:06:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Happy Saint, in peace adoring, Jesus, Savior of humankind,
[00:06:40] Hear thy children thee imploring, May we thy protection find.
[00:06:52] Thou who faithfully I stand in, Him whom heaven and earth adore, Who with pious care defended, Mary, Virgin ever pure,
[00:07:12] Happy Saint, in peace adoring, Jesus, Savior of humankind, Here thy children be imploring, May we thy protection find.
[00:07:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Our Mass this morning is offered for all of the parishioners of St. Therese.
[00:07:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good morning.
[00:07:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Good morning, Father.
[00:07:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
There is this joy that usually comes when something that we have been waiting for is imminent, when it is close.
[00:08:02] That is the tone of the liturgy of today and the introductory
[00:08:08] Antiphon, the entrance antiphon of this Mass says, Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the just one.
[00:08:19] Let the earth be opened and bring forth a Savior.
[00:08:23] And it is on this ground, this eager expectation, the joy of the imminence of the coming of Christ that we invite the family to process and light up the four candles.
[00:08:36] So notice the Advent wreath is going to be complete today with a candle of love, the love which we are supposed to tap from the coming of Christ and radiate to our brothers and sisters.
[00:08:49] So as they come, we are lighting all the candles beginning with the very first one, which was for hope.
[00:08:59] By now we should be very hopeful people.
[00:09:01] And then we lit the one of peace, and I can see all your faces radiating peace.
[00:09:09] And then we came to the dad of joy, Gaudete.
[00:09:14] Anybody who is not joyful now should have a very serious reason.
[00:09:19] and they will end up with love, which is a summary of all.
[00:09:23] So invite the family, come closer.
[00:09:29] Yes, move on.
[00:09:44] We are now at peace.
[00:09:47] We are now outgaudete, rejoicing people, and finally, love.
[00:09:54] God is good.
[00:09:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
All the time.
[00:09:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And all the times.
[00:09:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
God is good.
[00:10:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May God in His love and mercy continue to bless you all as you look forward to the coming of His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[00:10:09] Amen.
[00:10:19] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:10:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:10:25] And with your spirit.
[00:10:27] To prepare ourselves for this worthy celebration of this Mass, in which we invoke the love of God upon the earth, upon our families.
[00:10:37] Let us acknowledge our weaknesses, the times we have failed to show love, and ask the Lord for mercy.
[00:10:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words
[00:10:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Through what I have failed, through what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through the most grievous fault, therefore I ask the Blessed Mary, the Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
[00:11:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
[00:11:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:11:22] Lord Jesus, you are Son of God and Son of Mary.
[00:11:25] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:26] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:27] Christ Jesus, you are the Word made flesh and the splendor of the Father.
[00:11:32] Christ, have mercy.
[00:11:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Christ, have mercy.
[00:11:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Lord Jesus, you are a mighty God and Prince of Peace.
[00:11:38] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:40] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:11:49] Paul, Father, we beseech you, O Lord,
[00:11:51] Your grace into our hearts that we to whom the incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit God forever and ever.
[00:12:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Amen.
[00:12:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
[00:12:31] The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask for a sign from the Lord your God.
[00:12:37] Let it be deep as the netherworld or high as the sky.
[00:12:40] But Ahaz answered, I will not ask, I will not tempt the Lord.
[00:12:48] Then Isaiah said, Listen, O house of David, is it not enough for you to weary people, but you also weary my God?
[00:12:58] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
[00:13:02] The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
[00:13:10] The word of the Lord.
[00:13:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thanks be to God.
[00:13:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:13:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The lords are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.
[00:14:16] For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
[00:14:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:54] Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
[00:14:59] Or who may stand in his holy place?
[00:15:05] One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, Who desires not what is vain.
[00:15:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of glory.
[00:15:40] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of glory.
[00:15:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his Savior.
[00:15:52] Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
[00:16:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory.
[00:16:24] Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory.
[00:16:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans.
[00:16:53] Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
[00:17:06] The Gospel about His Son descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit in holiness, through the resurrection from the dead, Christ Jesus our Lord.
[00:17:22] Through Him we have received the grace of apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith,
[00:17:30] For the sake of his name among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
[00:17:41] To all the beloved of God in Rome called to be holy, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:17:54] The word of the Lord.
[00:18:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:22] Alleluia!
[00:18:26] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:33] Alleluia!
[00:18:34] Alleluia!
[00:18:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.
[00:18:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:19:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
And with thy spirit.
[00:19:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
[00:19:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Glory to you, O Lord.
[00:19:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
[00:19:22] When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
[00:19:31] Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
[00:19:41] Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.
[00:19:47] and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home for it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her she will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save people from their sins all of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet
[00:20:14] Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Immanuel, which means God is with us.
[00:20:24] When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
[00:20:32] The Gospel of the Lord.
[00:20:41] Well, we have come to the fourth Sunday of Advent.
[00:20:47] We have lit the final candle.
[00:20:51] And so Christmas, this time next week, we will be celebrating the Christmas season.
[00:20:58] We've been preparing for four weeks
[00:21:04] So I'd like to, just to get us into the Christmas spirit a little bit, tell you a short Christmas story.
[00:21:13] There once was a man who had no use for Christmas.
[00:21:18] He thought it was a humbug.
[00:21:21] Now, he wasn't an evil man.
[00:21:23] He was kind to his family and honest in his dealings.
[00:21:27] But he simply could not accept the fact that God would send His Son to be a human being and live amongst us.
[00:21:37] It just did not make any sense to him.
[00:21:41] Now his wife, who was fairly religious and a church goer,
[00:21:46] was preparing to take the family to the Midnight Mass.
[00:21:51] It was Christmas Eve.
[00:21:53] And he said, I'm sorry, I just am not going to go with you.
[00:21:57] I would feel like a hypocrite if I went to the church because I just can't understand why God would send His Son to be a human being.
[00:22:07] But he walked with his family out to the car.
[00:22:10] and they got in and he waved goodbye to them and they they drove off the church was only about two two blocks away and as he turned to go back to the house it started to snow and in fact it was just a few flakes at first but before he got to the door it was a full-fledged snowstorm he managed to get inside even though the snow was really coming down and he said well
[00:22:39] If we have to have Christmas, it might as well be a white Christmas.
[00:22:43] So he settled down with his newspaper beside the fire, started to read, and he hears this noise, a whomp.
[00:22:52] Something hit the window.
[00:22:53] He thought, what is that?
[00:22:56] Here again, thump, thump.
[00:22:59] He thought, what's hitting my window?
[00:23:01] Is somebody out there throwing snowballs at my window?
[00:23:04] What could be going on?
[00:23:06] So he got up and went to the front door, opened the door, and there he saw a flock of birds who had been caught by surprise in this freak snowstorm, and they were all down in the snow, bouncing around, and some of them were trying to come in through his window because they could see the light inside, thought they could fly in, and they're hitting the window.
[00:23:29] And he looks at them and he says,
[00:23:33] These poor birds are going to freeze to death.
[00:23:35] I can't let that happen.
[00:23:37] What can I do?
[00:23:38] Remember, I'll open the garage door.
[00:23:43] There's a light in there.
[00:23:44] It's a little warmer in the garage.
[00:23:46] So he goes, opens the garage door, turns on the light, and the birds completely ignore the garage.
[00:23:53] They're flopping around in the snow, not going anywhere.
[00:23:57] He thinks, oh, I know what I'll do.
[00:23:59] I'll go in the kitchen and I'll get some breadcrumbs.
[00:24:03] So he gets bread, crumbles it up, makes some crumbs, and he says, I'll lead a path from where the birds are into the garage.
[00:24:11] So he does this.
[00:24:13] Birds completely ignore him.
[00:24:15] They're just flopping.
[00:24:16] They're not eating.
[00:24:17] They're not following the breadcrumbs at all.
[00:24:20] So he goes outside and he gets behind the birds and he starts to shoo them in toward the garage.
[00:24:27] But the birds are scared to death and they're flying off in all directions.
[00:24:33] And he thinks, these birds are terrified of me.
[00:24:36] I'm so much bigger than they are.
[00:24:39] They don't understand that I'm trying to help them.
[00:24:43] And he thinks, if I could just become a bird for just a few minutes, then maybe I could lead them into the garage.
[00:24:55] Just about this time, he hears the bell ring at the church announcing the Midnight Mass.
[00:25:02] And he falls down on his knees and he says, Now I understand.
[00:25:07] Now I understand why you had to become one of us to lead us to salvation.
[00:25:16] Well, Christ is coming to us on Christmas, you know, and He needed to come because we had had all the messages of the Old Testament, God revealing Himself,
[00:25:30] and we still didn't understand and then we have the message of the prophet like today perfectly clear we didn't understand we didn't get the message Christmas is God's way of saying do you hear me now do you get the message so Christ has come and Christ has come into our hearts
[00:26:00] The Word has been made flesh.
[00:26:03] So this Christmas, let's open our hearts to allow Christ to come into it.
[00:26:09] Let's open our families and open our communities and let this be for all of us a beautiful, blessed, and merry Christmas.
[00:26:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
[00:26:48] I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.
[00:27:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Through him all things were made.
[00:27:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.
[00:27:19] For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
[00:27:23] He suffered death and was buried.
[00:27:26] He rose again on the third day and he is seated with the scriptures.
[00:27:30] He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
[00:27:36] He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
[00:27:40] His kingdom will have no end.
[00:27:42] I believe in one holy Catholic.
[00:27:45] The Lord be glorified.
[00:27:47] Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
[00:27:50] Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified.
[00:27:54] He has spoken to the prophets.
[00:27:57] I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
[00:28:01] I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
[00:28:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
[00:28:11] Amen.
[00:28:13] As we await with longing the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, dear brothers and sisters, let us with renewed devotion beseech his mercy that as he came into the world to bring the good news to the poor and healing the contrite of heart, so in our own time also he may bring salvation in all our needs.
[00:28:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
That civil officials and leaders may have the wisdom and virtues to address the challenges in their areas to advance the common good, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:28:53] For those with illness of body or mind and for those who care for them with compassion, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:02] That the final days of the season of Advent may be a time of hope, reconciliation, and peace within families and nations, and that the wandering sheep of the flock will return for Christmas.
[00:29:14] Let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:29:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
For eternal rest for all the faithful departed, especially those that we miss in these holy days, and for all grieving for loved ones, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:29] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:29:31] For those preparing for sacraments and for our catechists, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:38] For the safety of those who daily serve, for the protection, defense, and rescue of others abroad and at home, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:51] That our preparation for the celebration of the Lord's birth may inspire greater respect for God's gift of life and for all expectant parents, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:03] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:04] For participation in the works of mercy, especially in our local area, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:12] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:13] That the God of mercy will hear the prayers that we now speak in the silence of our hearts.
[00:30:25] Let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:30] Almighty, ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion.
[00:30:52] Through Christ our Lord.
[00:30:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Amen.
[00:30:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Our operatory hymn is number 395 in your gather hymnal, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, number 395.
[00:31:06] O come, O come, Emmanuel,
[00:31:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
I ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear
[00:31:52] Rejoice!
[00:32:04] Rejoice!
[00:32:05] Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
[00:32:14] The wisdom from on high Who orders all things vitally To us the path of knowledge show And teach us in her way
[00:32:48] of Christ, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel.
[00:33:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
O come, O come, Thou Lord,
[00:33:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
of Might.
[00:33:12] Who to thy tribes on Sinai's might in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud and majesty and awe.
[00:33:38] Rejoice!
[00:33:41] Pre-Brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.
[00:34:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May the Holy Spirit, O Lord, sanctify this gift laid upon your altar, just as he filled with his power the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, through Christ our Lord.
[00:34:37] The Lord be with you.
[00:34:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
And with your spirit.
[00:34:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lift up your hearts.
[00:34:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
We lift them up to the Lord.
[00:34:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
[00:34:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
It is right and just.
[00:35:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
It is truly right and just our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
[00:35:14] For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him, the Virgin Mother longed for him with love beyond all telling, John the Baptist sang of his coming,
[00:35:27] and Proclaim His presence when He came.
[00:35:30] It is by His gift that already we rejoice at the mystery of His Nativity, so that He might find us watchful in prayer and exultant in His praise.
[00:35:47] And so with the angels and archangels, With thrones and dominions, And with all the hosts and powers of heaven, We sing the hymn of your glory, As without a hint we are clean.
[00:36:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Holy, holy, holy is our God of hosts,
[00:36:17] Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest Blessed is he who comes in the name
[00:36:42] Hosanna!
[00:36:53] Hosanna in the highest!
[00:37:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
[00:37:05] Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:37:18] At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and, giving you thanks,
[00:37:31] At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.
[00:38:01] In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
[00:38:15] For this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
[00:38:26] Do this in memory of me.
[00:38:36] Rejoice!
[00:38:39] Rejoice!
[00:38:42] Emmanuel shall come to you, Israel.
[00:38:59] The mystery of faith.
[00:39:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Save us, Savior of all souls, For thy Lord's blessed resurrection
[00:39:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the bread of life and the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.
[00:39:48] Humbly we pray that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
[00:39:55] Remember Lord your Church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity together with Leo our Pope and Michael our Bishop and all the clergy.
[00:40:06] Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy.
[00:40:16] Welcome them into the light of your face.
[00:40:19] Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with Blessed Joseph, her spouse, with your blessed Apostles, Saint Teresa of the Church, Jesus, and all the saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
[00:40:45] Through him and with him and in him, O God, Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
[00:41:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[00:41:09] Amen.
[00:41:15] of the Holy Spirit.
[00:41:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray.
[00:41:26] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[00:41:30] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
[00:41:36] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
[00:41:46] And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
[00:41:51] Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil.
[00:41:54] Graciously grant peace in our days, that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
[00:42:10] Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will, who live and reign forever and ever.
[00:42:26] Amen.
[00:42:27] The peace of the Lord be with you always.
[00:42:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
And with your spirit.
[00:42:32] And let us offer one another a sign of Christ's peace.
[00:42:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Let's pray.
[00:43:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
[00:43:22] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Have mercy on us.
[00:43:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
[00:43:39] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Have mercy on us.
[00:43:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Behold the Lamb of God,
[00:44:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Behold He who takes away the sins of the world.
[00:44:15] Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
[00:44:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
[00:48:14] Nuh ha-varut e'rumi, Antennus et abstrac,
[00:48:34] Of Jesse's village coming, As tears of hope have sung, Its flame of blossom bright,
[00:48:54] Amid the cold of winter, when hearts mend, doors close anew,
[00:49:10] His power whose fragrance tender with sweet mercy endures, His love with glorious splendor
[00:49:31] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:53] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:54] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:55] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:50:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Our communion hymn is number 76 in Breaking Bread, Bread of Life, and we'll be singing the Advent verses and then the regular verses 1 through 5.
[00:50:18] So number 76 in Breaking Bread.
[00:50:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:50:49] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:50:52] Be with your people, Lord, send us your saving word.
[00:50:57] Jesus Christ, light of gladness, come among us now.
[00:51:08] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another
[00:51:30] Coming to the world of fear, the truth we long to hear, Jesus Christ, hope of ages, come to save us now.
[00:51:45] The bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:52:06] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:52:07] As we proclaim your death, as we recall your life, we remember your promise.
[00:52:18] To return again Bread of life Hope of the world Jesus Christ our Father Feed us now Give us life Lead us to one another
[00:52:45] We pray we break and share What's scattered wants us gray Just as now it is gathered
[00:52:55] Let your people want Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother Feed us now, give us life Feed us to moon on high
[00:53:22] We eat this living bread We drink this saving cup Sign of hope in our broken world Source of lasting love
[00:53:38] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:53:58] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:54:00] Hold us in unity, in love for all to see, that the world may believe in you, God of all who live.
[00:54:27] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ, our brother, feed us now.
[00:54:28] Give us life, lead us to one another You are the bread of peace, You are the wine of joy Broken now for Your people, born in endless love
[00:54:53] Prayer of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:55:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:55:34] of Christ.
[00:56:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let us pray.
[00:57:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:57:10] Having received this pledge of eternal redemption, we pray, Almighty God, that as the feast day of our salvation draws ever nearer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly to the worthy celebration of the mystery of His Son's Nativity, who lives and reigns forever and ever.
[00:57:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Join most today after Mass in the family room for donuts and coffee.
[00:57:53] All are welcome to join us and enjoy the spirit of the season.
[00:57:57] We will be having a second collection at our Christmas Masses to benefit the shortfall for our retired religious and for any miscellaneous facility needs for our church.
[00:58:07] Please be generous.
[00:58:08] Due to the Christmas holiday, the parish office will be closed from December 23rd to the 28th.
[00:58:15] Office hours will resume on Monday, December 29th.
[00:58:18] Have a blessed Christmas.
[00:58:20] All are welcome to join us for Christmas lessons and carols at 3.15 p.m. and 9.15 p.m. Christmas Eve in the church.
[00:58:29] Our 2026 St. Therese calendars are here.
[00:58:32] You can find them on the back tables in the narthex.
[00:58:35] Please take one per family.
[00:58:37] Feeling spiritually stuck?
[00:58:39] Start the new year with a faith-sharing experience.
[00:58:42] Join a group reading The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality.
[00:58:46] Details are in this week's bulletin.
[00:58:49] The new St. Joseph Missals are available for purchase in the parish office.
[00:58:53] Pick up your copy today.
[00:58:54] Please check the bulletin for more information about what's happening here at St. Therese.
[00:59:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:59:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
And with your spirit.
[00:59:13] Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
[00:59:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May the almighty and merciful God by whose grace you have placed your faith in the first coming of his only begotten Son and yearn for his coming again sanctify you by the radiance of Christ's advent and enrich you with his blessing.
[00:59:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:59:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
As you run the race of this present life, may he make you firm in faith
[00:59:46] Joyful in hope and active in charity.
[00:59:50] Amen.
[00:59:52] So that rejoicing now with devotion at the Redeemer's coming in the flesh, you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life when He comes again in majesty.
[01:00:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Amen.
[01:00:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And may the blessings of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit come upon you and remain with you forever.
[01:00:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[01:00:16] Go in peace to glorify the Lord with your life.
[01:00:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Thanks be to God.
[01:00:24] Our concluding hymn is number 409 in the Gather Hymnal.
[01:00:31] It's People Look East.
[01:00:33] We're doing verses 1, 2, and 5.
[01:00:35] People Look East, verses 1, 2, 5.
[01:00:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
People look east, the time is near Of the crowning of the year Make your house fair as you are able Trim the hearth and set the table People look east and sing today But the guest is on the way
[01:01:17] Furrows be glad the Word is there, One more seed is planted there.
[01:01:27] Give up your strength, the seed to nourish, That in course the flower may flourish.
[01:01:36] Keep all the gifts that seem to gaze, Love the roses on the way.
[01:01:46] Angels announce with shouts of birth, He who brings new life to earth.
[01:01:55] Set every peak and valley humbly, With the word the Lord is coming.
[01:02:08] Keep all the geese that sing today, Love the Lord is on the way.
[01:02:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Although you do say people at least.
[01:02:32] We do.
Emmanuel, call me, Emmanuel
[00:00:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Let's pray.
[00:01:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
The family of four walked the service.
[00:01:08] None of them showed up.
[00:01:41] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:02:51] and Recompense.
[00:03:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
of Christ.
[00:04:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Okay, let them.
[00:05:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Good morning.
[00:05:24] We welcome any visitors who join us for worship today as we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent.
[00:05:31] Please turn off your cell phones or set them to silent mode.
[00:05:34] For safety reasons, we ask that all children be accompanied by an adult when attending the restrooms.
[00:05:39] Our presider for this Mass is Father Engelbert Ofon, assisted by Deacon Joe Santon.
[00:05:46] Our gathering hymn is Holy Patron the Saluting, number 142 in the Breaking Bread, number 142.
[00:05:53] Everyone please stand.
[00:06:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Holy patron, thee saluting, Here we meet with heart sincere,
[00:06:19] As St. Joseph, all united, call on thee to hear our prayer.
[00:06:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Happy Saint, in peace adoring, Jesus, Savior of humankind,
[00:06:40] Hear thy children thee imploring, May we thy protection find.
[00:06:52] Thou who faithfully I stand in, Him whom heaven and earth adore, Who with pious care defended, Mary, Virgin ever pure,
[00:07:12] Happy Saint, in peace adoring, Jesus, Savior of humankind, Here thy children be imploring, May we thy protection find.
[00:07:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Our Mass this morning is offered for all of the parishioners of St. Therese.
[00:07:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good morning.
[00:07:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Good morning, Father.
[00:07:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
There is this joy that usually comes when something that we have been waiting for is imminent, when it is close.
[00:08:02] That is the tone of the liturgy of today and the introductory
[00:08:08] Antiphon, the entrance antiphon of this Mass says, Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the just one.
[00:08:19] Let the earth be opened and bring forth a Savior.
[00:08:23] And it is on this ground, this eager expectation, the joy of the imminence of the coming of Christ that we invite the family to process and light up the four candles.
[00:08:36] So notice the Advent wreath is going to be complete today with a candle of love, the love which we are supposed to tap from the coming of Christ and radiate to our brothers and sisters.
[00:08:49] So as they come, we are lighting all the candles beginning with the very first one, which was for hope.
[00:08:59] By now we should be very hopeful people.
[00:09:01] And then we lit the one of peace, and I can see all your faces radiating peace.
[00:09:09] And then we came to the dad of joy, Gaudete.
[00:09:14] Anybody who is not joyful now should have a very serious reason.
[00:09:19] and they will end up with love, which is a summary of all.
[00:09:23] So invite the family, come closer.
[00:09:29] Yes, move on.
[00:09:44] We are now at peace.
[00:09:47] We are now outgaudete, rejoicing people, and finally, love.
[00:09:54] God is good.
[00:09:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
All the time.
[00:09:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And all the times.
[00:09:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
God is good.
[00:10:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May God in His love and mercy continue to bless you all as you look forward to the coming of His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[00:10:09] Amen.
[00:10:19] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:10:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:10:25] And with your spirit.
[00:10:27] To prepare ourselves for this worthy celebration of this Mass, in which we invoke the love of God upon the earth, upon our families.
[00:10:37] Let us acknowledge our weaknesses, the times we have failed to show love, and ask the Lord for mercy.
[00:10:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words
[00:10:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Through what I have failed, through what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through the most grievous fault, therefore I ask the Blessed Mary, the Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
[00:11:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
[00:11:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:11:22] Lord Jesus, you are Son of God and Son of Mary.
[00:11:25] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:26] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:27] Christ Jesus, you are the Word made flesh and the splendor of the Father.
[00:11:32] Christ, have mercy.
[00:11:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Christ, have mercy.
[00:11:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Lord Jesus, you are a mighty God and Prince of Peace.
[00:11:38] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:40] Lord, have mercy.
[00:11:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:11:49] Paul, Father, we beseech you, O Lord,
[00:11:51] Your grace into our hearts that we to whom the incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit God forever and ever.
[00:12:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Amen.
[00:12:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
[00:12:31] The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask for a sign from the Lord your God.
[00:12:37] Let it be deep as the netherworld or high as the sky.
[00:12:40] But Ahaz answered, I will not ask, I will not tempt the Lord.
[00:12:48] Then Isaiah said, Listen, O house of David, is it not enough for you to weary people, but you also weary my God?
[00:12:58] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
[00:13:02] The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
[00:13:10] The word of the Lord.
[00:13:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thanks be to God.
[00:13:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:13:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The lords are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.
[00:14:16] For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
[00:14:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let the Lord answer, He is King of glory.
[00:14:54] Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
[00:14:59] Or who may stand in his holy place?
[00:15:05] One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, Who desires not what is vain.
[00:15:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of glory.
[00:15:40] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of glory.
[00:15:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his Savior.
[00:15:52] Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
[00:16:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory.
[00:16:24] Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory.
[00:16:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans.
[00:16:53] Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
[00:17:06] The Gospel about His Son descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit in holiness, through the resurrection from the dead, Christ Jesus our Lord.
[00:17:22] Through Him we have received the grace of apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith,
[00:17:30] For the sake of his name among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
[00:17:41] To all the beloved of God in Rome called to be holy, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:17:54] The word of the Lord.
[00:18:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:22] Alleluia!
[00:18:26] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Alleluia!
[00:18:33] Alleluia!
[00:18:34] Alleluia!
[00:18:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.
[00:18:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:19:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
And with thy spirit.
[00:19:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
[00:19:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Glory to you, O Lord.
[00:19:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
[00:19:22] When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
[00:19:31] Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
[00:19:41] Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.
[00:19:47] and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home for it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her she will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save people from their sins all of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet
[00:20:14] Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Immanuel, which means God is with us.
[00:20:24] When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
[00:20:32] The Gospel of the Lord.
[00:20:41] Well, we have come to the fourth Sunday of Advent.
[00:20:47] We have lit the final candle.
[00:20:51] And so Christmas, this time next week, we will be celebrating the Christmas season.
[00:20:58] We've been preparing for four weeks
[00:21:04] So I'd like to, just to get us into the Christmas spirit a little bit, tell you a short Christmas story.
[00:21:13] There once was a man who had no use for Christmas.
[00:21:18] He thought it was a humbug.
[00:21:21] Now, he wasn't an evil man.
[00:21:23] He was kind to his family and honest in his dealings.
[00:21:27] But he simply could not accept the fact that God would send His Son to be a human being and live amongst us.
[00:21:37] It just did not make any sense to him.
[00:21:41] Now his wife, who was fairly religious and a church goer,
[00:21:46] was preparing to take the family to the Midnight Mass.
[00:21:51] It was Christmas Eve.
[00:21:53] And he said, I'm sorry, I just am not going to go with you.
[00:21:57] I would feel like a hypocrite if I went to the church because I just can't understand why God would send His Son to be a human being.
[00:22:07] But he walked with his family out to the car.
[00:22:10] and they got in and he waved goodbye to them and they they drove off the church was only about two two blocks away and as he turned to go back to the house it started to snow and in fact it was just a few flakes at first but before he got to the door it was a full-fledged snowstorm he managed to get inside even though the snow was really coming down and he said well
[00:22:39] If we have to have Christmas, it might as well be a white Christmas.
[00:22:43] So he settled down with his newspaper beside the fire, started to read, and he hears this noise, a whomp.
[00:22:52] Something hit the window.
[00:22:53] He thought, what is that?
[00:22:56] Here again, thump, thump.
[00:22:59] He thought, what's hitting my window?
[00:23:01] Is somebody out there throwing snowballs at my window?
[00:23:04] What could be going on?
[00:23:06] So he got up and went to the front door, opened the door, and there he saw a flock of birds who had been caught by surprise in this freak snowstorm, and they were all down in the snow, bouncing around, and some of them were trying to come in through his window because they could see the light inside, thought they could fly in, and they're hitting the window.
[00:23:29] And he looks at them and he says,
[00:23:33] These poor birds are going to freeze to death.
[00:23:35] I can't let that happen.
[00:23:37] What can I do?
[00:23:38] Remember, I'll open the garage door.
[00:23:43] There's a light in there.
[00:23:44] It's a little warmer in the garage.
[00:23:46] So he goes, opens the garage door, turns on the light, and the birds completely ignore the garage.
[00:23:53] They're flopping around in the snow, not going anywhere.
[00:23:57] He thinks, oh, I know what I'll do.
[00:23:59] I'll go in the kitchen and I'll get some breadcrumbs.
[00:24:03] So he gets bread, crumbles it up, makes some crumbs, and he says, I'll lead a path from where the birds are into the garage.
[00:24:11] So he does this.
[00:24:13] Birds completely ignore him.
[00:24:15] They're just flopping.
[00:24:16] They're not eating.
[00:24:17] They're not following the breadcrumbs at all.
[00:24:20] So he goes outside and he gets behind the birds and he starts to shoo them in toward the garage.
[00:24:27] But the birds are scared to death and they're flying off in all directions.
[00:24:33] And he thinks, these birds are terrified of me.
[00:24:36] I'm so much bigger than they are.
[00:24:39] They don't understand that I'm trying to help them.
[00:24:43] And he thinks, if I could just become a bird for just a few minutes, then maybe I could lead them into the garage.
[00:24:55] Just about this time, he hears the bell ring at the church announcing the Midnight Mass.
[00:25:02] And he falls down on his knees and he says, Now I understand.
[00:25:07] Now I understand why you had to become one of us to lead us to salvation.
[00:25:16] Well, Christ is coming to us on Christmas, you know, and He needed to come because we had had all the messages of the Old Testament, God revealing Himself,
[00:25:30] and we still didn't understand and then we have the message of the prophet like today perfectly clear we didn't understand we didn't get the message Christmas is God's way of saying do you hear me now do you get the message so Christ has come and Christ has come into our hearts
[00:26:00] The Word has been made flesh.
[00:26:03] So this Christmas, let's open our hearts to allow Christ to come into it.
[00:26:09] Let's open our families and open our communities and let this be for all of us a beautiful, blessed, and merry Christmas.
[00:26:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
[00:26:48] I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.
[00:27:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Through him all things were made.
[00:27:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.
[00:27:19] For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
[00:27:23] He suffered death and was buried.
[00:27:26] He rose again on the third day and he is seated with the scriptures.
[00:27:30] He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
[00:27:36] He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
[00:27:40] His kingdom will have no end.
[00:27:42] I believe in one holy Catholic.
[00:27:45] The Lord be glorified.
[00:27:47] Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
[00:27:50] Who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified.
[00:27:54] He has spoken to the prophets.
[00:27:57] I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
[00:28:01] I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
[00:28:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
[00:28:11] Amen.
[00:28:13] As we await with longing the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, dear brothers and sisters, let us with renewed devotion beseech his mercy that as he came into the world to bring the good news to the poor and healing the contrite of heart, so in our own time also he may bring salvation in all our needs.
[00:28:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
That civil officials and leaders may have the wisdom and virtues to address the challenges in their areas to advance the common good, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:28:53] For those with illness of body or mind and for those who care for them with compassion, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:02] That the final days of the season of Advent may be a time of hope, reconciliation, and peace within families and nations, and that the wandering sheep of the flock will return for Christmas.
[00:29:14] Let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:29:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
For eternal rest for all the faithful departed, especially those that we miss in these holy days, and for all grieving for loved ones, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:29] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:29:31] For those preparing for sacraments and for our catechists, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:38] For the safety of those who daily serve, for the protection, defense, and rescue of others abroad and at home, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:29:51] That our preparation for the celebration of the Lord's birth may inspire greater respect for God's gift of life and for all expectant parents, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:03] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:04] For participation in the works of mercy, especially in our local area, let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:12] Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:13] That the God of mercy will hear the prayers that we now speak in the silence of our hearts.
[00:30:25] Let us pray to the Lord.
[00:30:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lord, hear our prayer.
[00:30:30] Almighty, ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion.
[00:30:52] Through Christ our Lord.
[00:30:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Amen.
[00:30:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Our operatory hymn is number 395 in your gather hymnal, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, number 395.
[00:31:06] O come, O come, Emmanuel,
[00:31:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
I ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear
[00:31:52] Rejoice!
[00:32:04] Rejoice!
[00:32:05] Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
[00:32:14] The wisdom from on high Who orders all things vitally To us the path of knowledge show And teach us in her way
[00:32:48] of Christ, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel.
[00:33:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
O come, O come, Thou Lord,
[00:33:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
of Might.
[00:33:12] Who to thy tribes on Sinai's might in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud and majesty and awe.
[00:33:38] Rejoice!
[00:33:41] Pre-Brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.
[00:34:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May the Holy Spirit, O Lord, sanctify this gift laid upon your altar, just as he filled with his power the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, through Christ our Lord.
[00:34:37] The Lord be with you.
[00:34:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
And with your spirit.
[00:34:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lift up your hearts.
[00:34:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
We lift them up to the Lord.
[00:34:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
[00:34:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
It is right and just.
[00:35:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
It is truly right and just our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
[00:35:14] For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him, the Virgin Mother longed for him with love beyond all telling, John the Baptist sang of his coming,
[00:35:27] and Proclaim His presence when He came.
[00:35:30] It is by His gift that already we rejoice at the mystery of His Nativity, so that He might find us watchful in prayer and exultant in His praise.
[00:35:47] And so with the angels and archangels, With thrones and dominions, And with all the hosts and powers of heaven, We sing the hymn of your glory, As without a hint we are clean.
[00:36:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Holy, holy, holy is our God of hosts,
[00:36:17] Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest Blessed is he who comes in the name
[00:36:42] Hosanna!
[00:36:53] Hosanna in the highest!
[00:37:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
[00:37:05] Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:37:18] At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and, giving you thanks,
[00:37:31] At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.
[00:38:01] In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying, Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
[00:38:15] For this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
[00:38:26] Do this in memory of me.
[00:38:36] Rejoice!
[00:38:39] Rejoice!
[00:38:42] Emmanuel shall come to you, Israel.
[00:38:59] The mystery of faith.
[00:39:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Save us, Savior of all souls, For thy Lord's blessed resurrection
[00:39:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the bread of life and the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.
[00:39:48] Humbly we pray that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
[00:39:55] Remember Lord your Church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity together with Leo our Pope and Michael our Bishop and all the clergy.
[00:40:06] Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy.
[00:40:16] Welcome them into the light of your face.
[00:40:19] Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with Blessed Joseph, her spouse, with your blessed Apostles, Saint Teresa of the Church, Jesus, and all the saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
[00:40:45] Through him and with him and in him, O God, Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
[00:41:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[00:41:09] Amen.
[00:41:15] of the Holy Spirit.
[00:41:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray.
[00:41:26] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[00:41:30] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
[00:41:36] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
[00:41:46] And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
[00:41:51] Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil.
[00:41:54] Graciously grant peace in our days, that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
[00:42:10] Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will, who live and reign forever and ever.
[00:42:26] Amen.
[00:42:27] The peace of the Lord be with you always.
[00:42:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
And with your spirit.
[00:42:32] And let us offer one another a sign of Christ's peace.
[00:42:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Let's pray.
[00:43:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
[00:43:22] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Have mercy on us.
[00:43:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
[00:43:39] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Have mercy on us.
[00:43:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Behold the Lamb of God,
[00:44:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Behold He who takes away the sins of the world.
[00:44:15] Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
[00:44:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
[00:48:14] Nuh ha-varut e'rumi, Antennus et abstrac,
[00:48:34] Of Jesse's village coming, As tears of hope have sung, Its flame of blossom bright,
[00:48:54] Amid the cold of winter, when hearts mend, doors close anew,
[00:49:10] His power whose fragrance tender with sweet mercy endures, His love with glorious splendor
[00:49:31] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:53] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:54] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:49:55] And my plans fell, but for life was the light of my life.
[00:50:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Our communion hymn is number 76 in Breaking Bread, Bread of Life, and we'll be singing the Advent verses and then the regular verses 1 through 5.
[00:50:18] So number 76 in Breaking Bread.
[00:50:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:50:49] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:50:52] Be with your people, Lord, send us your saving word.
[00:50:57] Jesus Christ, light of gladness, come among us now.
[00:51:08] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another
[00:51:30] Coming to the world of fear, the truth we long to hear, Jesus Christ, hope of ages, come to save us now.
[00:51:45] The bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:52:06] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:52:07] As we proclaim your death, as we recall your life, we remember your promise.
[00:52:18] To return again Bread of life Hope of the world Jesus Christ our Father Feed us now Give us life Lead us to one another
[00:52:45] We pray we break and share What's scattered wants us gray Just as now it is gathered
[00:52:55] Let your people want Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother Feed us now, give us life Feed us to moon on high
[00:53:22] We eat this living bread We drink this saving cup Sign of hope in our broken world Source of lasting love
[00:53:38] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:53:58] Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:54:00] Hold us in unity, in love for all to see, that the world may believe in you, God of all who live.
[00:54:27] Bread of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ, our brother, feed us now.
[00:54:28] Give us life, lead us to one another You are the bread of peace, You are the wine of joy Broken now for Your people, born in endless love
[00:54:53] Prayer of life, hope of the world, Jesus Christ our brother.
[00:55:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Feed us now, give us life, lead us to one another.
[00:55:34] of Christ.
[00:56:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let us pray.
[00:57:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:57:10] Having received this pledge of eternal redemption, we pray, Almighty God, that as the feast day of our salvation draws ever nearer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly to the worthy celebration of the mystery of His Son's Nativity, who lives and reigns forever and ever.
[00:57:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Join most today after Mass in the family room for donuts and coffee.
[00:57:53] All are welcome to join us and enjoy the spirit of the season.
[00:57:57] We will be having a second collection at our Christmas Masses to benefit the shortfall for our retired religious and for any miscellaneous facility needs for our church.
[00:58:07] Please be generous.
[00:58:08] Due to the Christmas holiday, the parish office will be closed from December 23rd to the 28th.
[00:58:15] Office hours will resume on Monday, December 29th.
[00:58:18] Have a blessed Christmas.
[00:58:20] All are welcome to join us for Christmas lessons and carols at 3.15 p.m. and 9.15 p.m. Christmas Eve in the church.
[00:58:29] Our 2026 St. Therese calendars are here.
[00:58:32] You can find them on the back tables in the narthex.
[00:58:35] Please take one per family.
[00:58:37] Feeling spiritually stuck?
[00:58:39] Start the new year with a faith-sharing experience.
[00:58:42] Join a group reading The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality.
[00:58:46] Details are in this week's bulletin.
[00:58:49] The new St. Joseph Missals are available for purchase in the parish office.
[00:58:53] Pick up your copy today.
[00:58:54] Please check the bulletin for more information about what's happening here at St. Therese.
[00:59:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:59:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
And with your spirit.
[00:59:13] Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
[00:59:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
May the almighty and merciful God by whose grace you have placed your faith in the first coming of his only begotten Son and yearn for his coming again sanctify you by the radiance of Christ's advent and enrich you with his blessing.
[00:59:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:59:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
As you run the race of this present life, may he make you firm in faith
[00:59:46] Joyful in hope and active in charity.
[00:59:50] Amen.
[00:59:52] So that rejoicing now with devotion at the Redeemer's coming in the flesh, you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life when He comes again in majesty.
[01:00:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Amen.
[01:00:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And may the blessings of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit come upon you and remain with you forever.
[01:00:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[01:00:16] Go in peace to glorify the Lord with your life.
[01:00:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Thanks be to God.
[01:00:24] Our concluding hymn is number 409 in the Gather Hymnal.
[01:00:31] It's People Look East.
[01:00:33] We're doing verses 1, 2, and 5.
[01:00:35] People Look East, verses 1, 2, 5.
[01:00:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
People look east, the time is near Of the crowning of the year Make your house fair as you are able Trim the hearth and set the table People look east and sing today But the guest is on the way
[01:01:17] Furrows be glad the Word is there, One more seed is planted there.
[01:01:27] Give up your strength, the seed to nourish, That in course the flower may flourish.
[01:01:36] Keep all the gifts that seem to gaze, Love the roses on the way.
[01:01:46] Angels announce with shouts of birth, He who brings new life to earth.
[01:01:55] Set every peak and valley humbly, With the word the Lord is coming.
[01:02:08] Keep all the geese that sing today, Love the Lord is on the way.
[01:02:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Although you do say people at least.
[01:02:32] We do.
