Matt GaspersDecember 2020 Edition Now Available – Preview HERE
“Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel.” (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23)
Dear Friends in Christ,
Every year during Advent, I love to hear and sing the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Its somber melody and pleading verses epitomize the true spirit of the season:
O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel / That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appear.
These same words speak powerfully to the situation in which we find ourselves this December, at the end of one of the most controversial and grueling years in recent memory. From the attempted impeachment of President Donald Trump back in January to the COVID-19 lockdowns in March; from the violent riots and rampant vandalism over the summer to the unrelenting “sanitary dictatorship” (as Bishop Schneider calls it) we continue to endure; A.D. 2020 has been a spectacle to behold. And to top it all off, we have now witnessed what appears to be the most systematic and widespread voter fraud in United States history.
What else can we say at this point, as faithful Catholics and patriotic citizens, other than, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel”?
Advent, as we know, is a time for penance and prayerful preparation, but it is also a season of joyful anticipation, as the aforementioned hymn reminds us at the end of each stanza:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel / Shall come to thee, O Israel.
As we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord and embark on a new year, let us foster in ourselves and in one another the virtue of hope, which “confoundeth not” (Rom. 5:5), recalling these words from the Book of Isaias: “But they that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31).
God is on our side, as Archbishop Viganò has reminded us so many times over the past several months, and He is calling His children – “the children of light” (1 Thess. 5:5) – to “stand fast in the faith, do manfully, and be strengthened” (1 Cor. 16:13).
We hope that Catholic Family News has been a source of inspiration, education, and strength throughout this challenging year. If you have benefitted from our content – whether in the paper, on our website, through our “Weekly News Roundup” show, or on social media – we ask for your support (see HERE for subscription options).
On behalf of everyone at CFN, I wish you and your families a most blessed Advent! And may the peace and joy of Christ the King be yours this Christmas and throughout the New Year!
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13).
Sincerely in the Holy Family,
Matt Gaspers
Managing Editor
