Be Open To Conversion and You Will Find Peace.
Dear Parishioners,
“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever,” cries the psalmist. Yet the peace and joy we long for often seems distant from our society. The news around us is filled with violence, threats of war kidnapping of school children, terrorist plots and deliberate attack on Christian communities. We naturally ask: When will this end? Who will save us from such calamity?
In our first reading, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of the Messiah who will usher in an age of justice and peace. St. Paul, in turn, reminds us of the importance of hope—hope drawn from the teachings of Scripture and lived out in a community marked by harmony and charity.
Peace and justice can flourish only when hearts are open to conversion. The bold and challenging preaching of John the Baptist speaks directly to this truth. Like Isaiah, who appealed to his people for conversion and renewed hope, John the Baptist proclaimed the dawn of a new era and called all to repentance and baptism. We may not be able to imitate his diet of locusts and wild honey, but his message still calls us to holiness and a firm renewal of our baptismal promises.
Confession of sins and acts of penance remain the necessary path toward forgiveness and redemption. During this season of Advent, we are given a special opportunity for self-examination. John the Baptist urges us to smooth the way for the coming of Jesus by removing the obstacles within ourselves—obstacles known to each of us personally—as well as those shaped by the world around us. Let us resist the false promises the world offers.
The Church invites us to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a meaningful way to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you will join our parish community for our Advent Reconciliation Service on Monday evening, December 15, from 6:30–7:30 pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
As we hear the Baptist’s plea, we are reminded that conversion is continuous and lifelong. It is never too late to begin the journey and be renewed. Be open to conversion, and you will find peace. May the Word of the Lord free us from our lack of awareness, fill us with hope, and enable us to welcome him with joy in the coming feast of Christmas.
Sincerely Yours In Christ,
Fr. Vitalis Anyanike, Pastor
