St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

FOR Sunday, December 21-Christmas 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the fourth week of Advent and it is also the week of Christmas. The first reading is a prophecy about the birth of the promised Messiah. King Ahaz and people should trust that God would be with the chosen people to deliver them when a virgin will conceive and bear a son who will be named Emmanuel.

The second reading tells us that God called St. Paul despite his thoroughly Jewish heritage, to preach to the Gentiles. He describes his own apostolic call as servitude or slavery to Christ and not to any kind of earthly ruler. Do we consider and submit ourselves as servants or slaves to Christ Jesus, our Heavenly ruler, for He is the only liberator, savior and redeemer who delivers us from the evil one?

The Gospel passage is about the angel’s communication to Joseph about the birth of Jesus as recorded by Mathew and the same passage for vigil Mass as well. Joseph and Mary’s betrothal was about to shatter his family due to her conception, but God’s angel assured him that all would be well. His dream renewed his peace and confidence in the Lord.

Christmas is the day of Joy, bringing Peace into the lives of every believer, with light shining in every dark corner of our lives, filling us with Hope of our salvation and enveloping us with the love of God, by the rebirth of Christ in our hearts on Christmas day. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE. BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony

FOR Sunday, December 28-New Year 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are on the first Sunday after Christmas celebrating the feast of the Holy Family. The first reading focuses on honoring our parents, which is a key theological theme in the Book of Sirach. Together with the parental honor the book also focuses on the fear of the Lord. Family is more than a fundamental social reality, because of its fundamental theological reality, having its core theological concepts of righteousness, the good life, forgiveness and salvation. How important is our family and its bonding to each of us?

The second reading is so significant that it mentions a lengthy list of virtues to be practiced by the members of the family. It means embodying God through union with Christ having virtues of compassion, kindness, patience, love and peace. In each family the husband, wife and children have their responsibilities to be fulfilled. They are also invited to abide in love and gratitude to God and to one another. How do we wish to faithfully grow in our virtues and relations with the members of our family?

The gospel passage offers an account of the Holy Family’s early days, then fleeing to Egypt and returning to Nazareth. It highlights the role of St. Joseph, who receives messages from God in dreams. He fulfills his responsibility to care and protect the child and the mother. They were always quite obedient to the promptings of God. Hence, obedience is the prime character of all of us in God’s family.

Do we wish to follow the example of the Holy Family?

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony