Dear Friends, 

The homily I heard at Mass for the First Sunday of Advent posed an interesting question: Why do we focus on the Second Coming of Jesus from the First Sunday of Advent until Dec. 17th? The priest said that it isn’t until the 17th that we fully turn our attention to the Incarnation (though the focus starts to shift on Gaudete Sunday). We say, “Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus” over and over before that. 

Now, one answer to that question is that Jesus came, but He left in the Ascension. He is coming back and we are eager for that. However, the priest pointed out that Jesus didn’t leave in the sense that He is gone from our daily lives. He is present in every Catholic Church, and we are able to receive Him in Holy Communion daily. We are able to be very close to Him, closer than we could have been in the first century before the Last Supper. So why are we saying, “Come, Lord Jesus”?

Before the Incarnation, we were in darkness. Jesus’ sacrifice lifted that darkness. But every time we sin, we, as it were, bring that darkness back. When we are asking for Jesus to come, we are asking Him to illuminate our minds and hearts to free us from the self-imposed darkness of sin. We are asking Christ to come into our lives, here and now, to help us get fully ready to greet Him when He comes again. We are asking Him to illuminate our souls, so that we will be ready to worship Him in Spirit and Truth in our daily lives, in the Second Coming and for all eternity. 

This comes to mind as I think about you, our generous community, in this Advent and Christmas season. The work Mother of Divine Grace School is doing together in educating students and helping parents raise their children in the living Catholic culture of their homes, is part of that effort to get ready to worship God in Spirit and Truth in our daily lives, in the Second Coming and for all eternity. There can’t be a more important work. There are many ways to participate in that work, and we have priests from our community who do this work in the most important way. But in every Mass, we pray, after the Consecration, for unity.

The unity we are praying for is the unity, the oneness, that we have in the Mystical Body of Christ. The work you are supporting, the work MODG is aiding families with, is bringing that about in a particular way, with Jesus, in Jesus, and through Jesus.

That unity is made so apparent through your generosity to our families in need. Even though we are a homeschooling organization, in which most of our families don’t live near each other, this unity is present in MODG. I have seen you reach out and give to help your neighbors in this community, many of whom you might never know face-to-face. What a testament to our community that you are willing, time and time again, to give of the blessings that God has given you, to support those who are struggling as they work to build cathedrals in their homes. 

One of my moms wrote to me this Thanksgiving, saying, 

“My sister often tells me I’m a good mom, and this is nice, all the credit to Jesus and Mary, but I was talking to my husband about it all the other day. I told him I think that all my years of teaching and studying MODG has made me a better thinker and discerner and wiser. I have grown so much more as a person because of MODG. MODG has formed me in truth, beauty, and goodness, and it’s the formation I’m working on instilling in our kids. My ultimate point is that all the formation I’ve received from MODG has made me a better mother and a better wife.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you. Thank you for your charity in working with me and all of us to help these wonderful parents who want to serve Christ in Spirit and Truth by serving and forming their families. We are all working here and now to prepare ourselves and all those we can for eternity. Alone none of us could do much, but together we can do great things.

Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity, thank you for coming to us and “come again, Jesus!” 

Many of you are already giving so much to support our mission at MODG, of your time, of your talent, and of your treasure. If you are able to give a gift here at the end of the year, it would enable us to continue to aid those who need help in our community. It’s in large part because of all your donations that we are able to continue to expand and help parents form their children in the Faith, helping them to receive a truly Catholic, Classical education.

We are so grateful for you, and please know of our prayers during this Advent and Christmas season.

Love, and Merry Christmas!

Laura

Founder and CEO