These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Is 29:17-24)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120222.cfm
The longing of the prophets for the coming of “that day” fills the readings of Advent: that the deaf shall hear, the blind see, and the poor and the lowly will rejoice in the Lord. What do we long for? What would fill us with joy? In his encyclical letter on the liturgy (Desiderio desideravi), Pope Francis speaks of the Lord’s desire to eat with us. Could our participation in the Eucharist be joyfully satisfying the Lord’s desire?