• All the readings together
• Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
• Psalm 85
• 2nd Peter 3:8-14
• Mark 1:1-8
• Click here to listen on YouTube
CORE MESSAGE
Do you really need a Savior this Christmas?
SOBERING STATISTICS
- 36% of registered voters voted November’s primary elections
- 64% of registered voters voted in the 1950s
- 73% of Americans trusted the government or elected officials in the 1950s
- 24% of Americans trust the government or elected officials
- 50% of Americans consider themselves happy. 50% of Americans, half of our country, do not consider themselves happy.
- Only 45% of American adults—less than half—believe their children will have a better life than they are.
- A few years ago Americans spent $150 billion on pornography, alcohol and illegal drugs. That’s more than the Federal government’s $130 billion budget for education.
- Somewhere around 60% of American Catholics went to Mass on Sunday in the 1950s
- Less than 25% of American Catholics will go to Mass today
- 16% of Americans do not believe in Jesus Christ - that’s more than double the 8% in 1990
- 13 million American adults believe their salvation is unimportant
- Every five seconds someone dies - without ever hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
- 1/3 of Americans believe that Christmas is a cultural holiday
- In that same survey, 1 out of every 4 American Catholics believe that Christmas is a cultural holiday
- 88% of American children believe in Santa
- 78% of American recognize believe in Jesus Christ
- 2/3 of Americans my dad’s age believe Jesus is central to Christmas
- Less than ½ of Americans my age believe Jesus is central to Christmas
Recorded Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana. © Fr. Mark Toups, 2014
