ADVENT 2023 BEGINS SUNDAY DECEMBER 3rd
We begin the first week of Advent, a season of preparation and waiting. What are we preparing for and what are we waiting for?
Is it a holiday? Is it gifts? Is it family gatherings? Is it snow?
According to Merriam Webster dictionary the word Advent means “the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.” There isn’t a more “notable” person than Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
WE AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF JESUS CHRIST!
Sometimes the secular world has co-opted our feast days like Easter, with Easter Eggs or Christmas with trees, decorations, and black Friday where retailers hope to get out of the red. ….
Other distractions like Shopping Malls, carpet cleaning, parties, decorating…leave many of us exhausted, frustrated, and stressed….
Fortunately, we Christians, have a counter–cultural answer, the Church liturgical Season of Advent. ADVENT IS A TIME OF PRAYER, FASTING, AND ALMSGIVING to become closer to God and ready to receive His Son. In Advent, we ponder the great mystery of the Incarnation.
PRAYER sustains and nurtures our relationship with our triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Prayer is us talking to God and God talking back. God calls us to prayer. God always initiates and we are brought into God’s presence’
FASTING assists us in getting our house in order. All of us deal with some areas of servitude and addiction to false gods. By living lives of moderation and temperance, we have more energy to devote to God’s will and purposes in our lives.
ALMSGIVING Jesus was always concerned about the least of our brethren, those who were poor and in need. To be a disciple of Christ, we must pick up our cross and follow Him. Matthew 16:24
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” Romans 5:8 Jesus shares in our humanity that we may share in His Divinity.
Our ancestors waited centuries for the birth of the promised Messiah. Fifteen hundred years before the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, Isaiah prophesied, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, and Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, Isaiah 9:6
The Advent season in its liturgical observance is not only a remembrance of the Incarnation, God becoming flesh, but also anticipatory of God coming at the end of history in the Person of Christ the King who has dominion over everything even the curse of death.
The season of Advent reminds us that history is not complete until the Second Coming of Jesus. How we deal with time was addressed by Jesus telling us to remain awake and always be prepared.
Are we awake? Are we prepared? Or Are we like the people of Noah’s time who ignored any calls to repentance even to the time Noah entered the Ark? Matt. 24:7
Some of us may shed our earthly bounds before the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time. Are we prepared to come to Jesus sooner rather than later? Or are we like the rich fool storing material goods?
“This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself…, Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. ”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? ’This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” Luke 16:18-21
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Matthew 25.1-13
Be prepared to meet our maker whenever He comes. Advent challenges us to attend to relationships, reach out to the needy, and cherish the gift of human life.
Is our “Spiritual” house cleaned? Are we ready to greet Jesus right now? If not, why not? Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation; bring our sins before Christ and seek his forgiveness. Give thanks to the Lord, His mercy endures forever.
Are we ready to journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem? Ready to adore our new born king!
MARANATHA COME LORD JESUS
ADVENT HYMN
Come Lord Jesus,
Come Lord Jesus, do not delay.
Come Lord Jesus, Lighten our darkness
Come Lord Jesus, do not delay.
Come Lord Jesus, Hear our longing
Come Lord Jesus, Source of Justice
Come Lord Jesus, Word of Compassion
Come Lord Jesus, King of Glory
Come Lord Jesus, Morning Star Shining
Come Lord Jesus, Joy of all ages
Come Lord Jesus, Come and save us