Click on the following link to view the video. I posted it so that you could see a prayer that is done in ASL halfway through. A member of our Deaf Community here in Boston did it and we are thankful for his good work:

Click here.

If the link does not work, please copy and paste this into your browser:
http://www.catholictv.org/Default.aspx?videoID=464

Hopeful People,

We are full of hope, especially as this time of Christ's Birthday Celebration approaches. The Children will be here at the parish Advent Party over at the Hall in great numbers. As little reminders of the Christ Child they serve us by being the joy filled receivers of gifts! Today we are so thankful to be able to give them our very own St. Nicholas! He is great at ASL! What a feat to be able to arrange his visit at such a busy time of year! I told him that if he needs any help getting presents to the children we might be able to help as long as he can keep track of what it they might be hoping to get.

In today's Gospel Jesus tells us that he is the fulfillment of the prophecy made by Isaiah over 400 years before his coming. He is the one that John the Baptist was preparing everyone for. How did it show at first? People started to understand God more fully. Jesus began to reveal the loving, and fantastic plan of God's loving salvation for us. People's minds began to open. They began to be set free from the broken spirits that left them crippled. They began to share in the joy of God's Kingdom.

We too are caught up in the continual unfolding of the Kingdom. The Trinity is working now to continue to enlighten our minds, to open the ears of our understanding, and set us free from the tyranny of sin.

I am looking forward to celebrating the mystery of Christmas with you even more because of our special guest. Ghislain! He is our Christmas Deacon, generously shared with us from the Diocese of San Francisco. I hope that you all take turns showing him a good welcome. We wouldn't want him returning to the West Coast with anything but praise for God in his heart.

Lastly, I have decided what I want for Christmas: A Helicopter. It would be so much fun to have one and would really make my commute to Braintree a breeze. Please let St. Nicholas know.

Yours,

Fr. St. Martin