JOYCE CORONEL

“What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This quote from the beginning of the Gospel of John points us to the reality of Christ as the light of the world.

When you get right down to it, the message of Easter is one of hope. Jesus is victorious over sin and death and offers each of us the gift of new life.

If you’ve ever watched a football game on television, you’ve no doubt seen a banner in the stands proclaiming the message “John 3:16.”

A 40-foot balloon floats high over a rural area in Communist North Korea. When it lands, the precious cargo is discreetly received and distributed by those willing to risk imprisonment or death in defiance of the regime.

I can still hear her voice, all these years later: A coworker at the local newspaper where I was working was angry — very angry — and launched into an explosive tirade with one word.

No one can offer you more hope than Jesus Christ. In a world broken by sin, this season of hope we call Advent calls each one of us to turn our eyes to the stable in Bethlehem where our Savior took on flesh and became one of us, to show us the way of forgiveness and love.

It’s that time of year when Americans turn their hearts toward home and prepare for a Thanksgiving feast, one that brings us around the table to celebrate.

The wind whipped our faces and a steady rain fell as we stood aboard the simple fishing boat that had set sail on the Sea of Galilee.

Tumultuous. That’s the word that comes to mind when I ponder the unfolding crisis in the Catholic Church.

Satan preys upon human weakness and works to undermine the Church from within. He wants nothing more than for you and me to give up all hope.