Morena – Good morning.
Last Sunday, I attended the “Welly Wonderland” concert at the Michael Fowler Centre with Clare, friends, and family. The event featured outstanding performances by the Wellington Brass Band and the Signature Pacifica Choir.
It was brilliant with terrific arrangement to carols and music along with gifted individual singers who led songs/carols. It showcased what wonderful talent is out there and gave us a terrific sense that we are approaching Christmas.
We were all shouting their praises appreciating their Pacific talents and the brass band was wonderful. It made me think of this Sunday where we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent and our them this week is one of Joy. They exuded ‘joy’!
The humility and generosity of all participants sharing was a great example of what Christmas is about. Their God given talents were shared generously and professionally mixed with humour. The joy we experienced was there for all to see and hear. God was present, is present and as we go forward let us appreciate the need to take stock of how we are and in what ways we can invite others into our circle to share the joy of the gospel.
Pope Francis in his encyclical Evangelii gaudium – 2013) – “The Joy of the Gospel” reiterates what leads us to joy. The joy of the gospel should lead us to reach out and serve the hearts, minds and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Jesus joy is constantly born anew.
This is our continued challenge in Passionist Family Group to be a leaven for people who often feel a stranger in their church or struggle with relevance. However, what is clear in the mission of Jesus that he welcome all, accepts all who wish to encounter Jesus. We are the instruments of that welcome and acceptance bring hope, peace joy and love to all. This sets up what it means to experience Emmanuel – God with us!
“The life of the Church should always reveal clearly that God takes the initiative, that “he has loved us first” (1 Jn 4:19) and that he alone “gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:7). This conviction enables us to maintain a spirit of joy in the midst of a task so demanding and challenging that it engages our entire life. God asks everything of us, yet at the same time he offers everything to us.” Evangelii gaudium 12
God go with you, Warm regards, Paul
Scripture reflection: Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) Year A, 14 December 2025
The desert shall rejoice, and blossom abundantly
O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
LECTIONARY READINGS
First reading: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10
Responsorial psalm: Ps 145(146):6-10
Second reading: James 5:7-10
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
Link to readings – click here
The readings of this Gaudete (‘rejoice’) Sunday are full of hopeful joy in anticipation of Christ’s arrival. This will bring an end to all sorrow and mourning (First Reading), because through Christ will come salvation and new life (Psalm).
In the Second Reading, St James calls us to be ready for this arrival. The Lord is near, but to perceive the signs of his coming requires from us both patience and openness of eyes and ears (Gospel). On this third Sunday of Advent and during this coming week, let us imitate the desert coming to bloom. By eagerly receiving the Lord’s life giving and transformational grace, we will have the strength and courage to blossom abundantly in all the areas of our life.
As Pilgrims of Hope towards the close of this Jubilee Year, we pray to be bringers of joy, life and consolation to those who are feeling bowed down by the burdens of life.
Formation: These days have been concluded for 2025. Thank you to all those parishes who participated and shared food, conversation, faith and friendship.
Safeguarding: “Working Together for a Safe Church”
Any complaints should be directed through the National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS) or report directly to the New Zealand Police or Oranga Tamariki.
Phone: 03 365 1993 or 0800 114 622
Email: prof.standards@nzcbc.org.nz
www.safeguarding.catholic.org.nz
Five Ways to Well Being
Reminder: 5 Aims and Goals of Passionist Family Groups. 
- share & celebrate life & faith
- support one another (especially in need)
- reaching out to & include others
- build community/extended family
- show and give Christian example to children
Please remember in your thoughts and prayer:
- We pray for Pope Leo X1V and confirm his prayer intention for the month of December, which is for “Christians living in areas of conflict.” He invites all Christians to pray “that we may never grow indifferent to the suffering of other Christians, but rather that we may be builders of unity.”
- We pray for Pope Leo XIV and his continued catechesis on the theme of hope – “to hope in life, means to have a foretaste of the goal, to believe as certain what we do not yet see and touch, to trust and entrust ourselves to the love of a father who created us because He willed us in love and wants us to be happy.”
- We pray for all leaders, political and other that they lead with wisdom, honesty and integrity.
- We remember that God calls on us, as people of faith, to offer our voices to help those who have none.
- Keep in mind all those who continue to struggle with mental health challenges, and their families who support them in their daily lives.
- Please remember Elizabeth Walsh and also her husband Tim
- Please keep Bev Postmaa in your prayer and thoughts
- Please remember Ollie Schmanski and his parents Brad and Charlotte
- Please keep Jill Graves and family in your prayer. Also pray for her daughter in law who is in hospital and whose mum died recently.
- Please keep in your prayer Billy Uasiki – also Jocelyn and Family
- Please remember Dee and Peter Costello’s grandson and parents Katelyn and Reuben. The recent news is positive but the prayers will assist.
- Please remember Barry Straight his wife Viv and all the family and extended family.
- Please remember Clare,Daryl Pritchard and family
- Please remember Jocelyn Bryant, Kev and family in your prayer.
- Pease keep Di Buckley in your prayer
- Please remember, Pat Carson; Graeme Matthews; Adrian van de Pas and her son Robert ; Graeme and Margaret Armstrong, Tim Bartells & family, Linda Darbyshire and family in your prayer, Christine Geoghegan’s daughter Kate and extended families, Pauline Prendergast, Robyn Burns (Hill,) Sean and Ann Mulcahy, Dot and Neill Wilson (Invercargill) Paul Davenport, Clair and Ray Hague; Terry Nelson’s family;. Brian and Eleanor McFlynn ; Bryan Davidson; Richard and Sue Gibbs; Martin and Sally van der Wetering; Phil and Anne Drew .
- Keep in mind all those who are struggling with various aspects of mental health;
- Keep people in Gaza and Israel in your prayer along with the people of the people of Ukraine: Keep in prayer the people of Sudan and Syria.
- Pray for peace and sensible and just decisions by leaders across the planet.
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- Your own intentions
Humour:
- Did you hear about the walnut and cashew that threw a party? It was nuts.
- Did the hear about the ice cream truck accident? It crashed on a rocky road.
- What kind of bird works on a construction site? A crane.
- What did one elevator say to the other elevator? I think I’m coming down with something.
- What did the hamburger name its baby? Patty.
- How much money does a skunk have? Just one scent.
- How did the barber win the race? He knew a shortcut.
- What type of music do the planets enjoy? Neptunes.
- Why did the phone wear glasses? Because it lost all its contacts.
- Why do bakers work so hard? Because they knead dough.
- Why are fish so easy to weigh? Because they have their own set of scales.
“We Are a “Family for All”
