Advent

Week 1

AN ADVENT CHALLENGE

The first Sunday of Advent marks the end of the liturgical season of ordinary time, and we begin a new liturgical year. In this season of Advent 2023, I propose a challenge.

1. Celebrate Christmas and the Incarnation of Christ with joy; and

2. Reflect on the end of time; and ask if you will be ready when He returns.

Advent is a season of preparation and waiting. Mother Church reminds us during Advent to prepare for Christ's second coming, and to examine our own lives and ask, "Am I ready for my own death? Am I ready for judgment when Christ comes again?"

"Are we laboring to make our lives conform to His?" Thomas A. Kempsis, Page 15, Imitation of Christ.

Bishop Barron explains, "Christianity in a certain sense is a religion of fulfillment. The Lord has come, the Incarnation and the Resurrection have taken place. It's happened already. But in another sense, Christianity is permanently a religion of waiting, because we wait in joyful hope for the second coming of the Lord. That's why there is a permanent Advent quality to the Christian life."

There are 106 references in the Bible to waiting. Most of us, and society at large, does not like to wait. Life is faster than ever, and a sense of immediacy infects every aspect of our lives. Reflect on today's readings, does anything resonate with you?

Isaiah 63:17, "Return for the sake of your servants."

Psalm 80:8, "Give us new life."

First Corinthians 1:6-7, "As the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord, Jesus Christ."

Mark 13:33, "Jesus said to his disciples, 'Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.'"

In His word, we are reminded to be aware of God's presence and to continue in love and faith until he comes again. That is the true meaning of preparing for and celebrating Christmas.

Week 2

PREPARATION AND WAITING

On the second Sunday of Advent, the readings again focus on preparation and waiting. Isaiah 40:3, "A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord!"

The Second Letter of Saint Peter 3: 13- 14, "According to his purpose we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteous dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace."

Mark 1:3-4, "Prepare the way of the Lord. John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance and the forgiveness of sins."

The readings direct us to two things: how to live the life of a disciple of Christ and preparing for Christ's return. Preparation takes on a dual meaning in this season. During this season we prepare in a practical sense, and we prepare in a spiritual sense. The difficulty is that many of us focus more on the practical and not the spiritual.

Servant of God, Catherine De Hueck Doherty, founder of the Madonna House, addressed this in a wonderful meditation about her experience of Advent as a child in Russia. She writes of the preparation of her family in the home with activities such as cleaning and cooking; and contrasts that with what was done in her family and in the parish church to prepare spiritually.

Her family fasted before the first Sunday of Advent, attended parish prayer services, and sang in celebration of Christ's Incarnation as well as the with expectant hope for His return.

As we clean, celebrate, and give, welcoming our family and friends into our home, we may want to do the same for our souls by welcoming Christ into our hearts. Perhaps go to confession during Advent to truly open your soul to the gift of God's presence and grace. Spend time with your family in prayer. Perhaps have an Advent wreath marking the Sundays in Advent or a Jesse Tree to teach your children or grandchildren about the forerunners of our faith. Spend less. Donate more to others and give gifts to the less fortunate. We not only have to give money, but we can give our time and presence to others and Christ. Spend time in front of the creche gazing in love and wonder.

Carve out time to reflect on what in your life is preventing you from growing more intimately with Christ. Ask yourself if He came in the midst of your cleaning, baking, wrapping, shopping, would you be ready and at peace?

Week 3

REJOICE SUNDAY

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Isaiah 61:1, "He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor."

First letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 5:16 through 17, "Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing."

Chapter 5:21 "Test everything and retain what is good."

John 1:6, "He came to testify to the light."

Today is Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete means rejoice and the candle lit today is a beautiful color rose or violet and the virtue we celebrate is joy! Rejoice is defined as to feel or show great joy and delight. It is a surging of the heart to God. We are overwhelmed with an experience of sustained happiness.

Pink is one of my favorite colors. I love it for its brightness and fragility. I have a pink cyclamen in view as I write this meditation. It is delicate and feminine. Its rich pink petals are rich and soothing and are a joy to behold.

No wonder the phrase, "being in the pink," came to be. It only means reclaiming health or happiness. Are you in the pink in this third week of Advent? Have you opened your heart to

Christ? Have you reclaimed your joy and childhood innocence? Have you experienced awe and wonder during this season?

Or are you more concerned that there are only eleven more days until Christmas?

Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed, and there is a sense of running out of time. Do not worry, there is still time; and there is no time like the present to just stop, reflect, and be joyful.

Saint Paul encourages us to be thankful and pray always. He reminds us God is a God of peace and joy. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. He is our joy. St. Paul warns us to test if something is good or evil and retain what is good. This is called the discernment of spirits by the spiritual masters. During this Advent season ask what is drawing you to God?

What is distracting or pulling you away? Make sure you take some time for silence and to just be with our Lord.

Of course, we must fulfill our duties and obligations, but we can approach them in a new way. As you cook, bake, clean, and wrap, offer a prayer. Ask Jesus to be with you and pray for the guest or person you are completing a certain task for. Saint Therese described her "little way" by reminding us in one of her most famous quotes, "You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much on the greatness of our actions (and I would add number), but at the love in which we do them." Good advice, especially during this time of year.

Make your chores and tasks a bit more fun, put on a Christmas movie such as "It's a Wonderful Life," "Christmas in Connecticut," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," or "Scrooge" as you wrap. As you clean and bake, listen to Christmas music. Perhaps to clean, listen to the Rockin, to help you move and clean to the beat. As you bake, maybe listen to your favorite

Christmas carols or "Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel." Sing along. Don't miss out on the joy of the season and prepare your soul to receive our King, so on Christmas Day you can sing "Joy to the World."

Week 4

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

PEACE

ROMANS 16:25-27

"Who can strengthen you… to bring about the obedience of faith… to the only wise God,

through Jesus Christ."

LUKE 1:35

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you."

Today the fourth candle is lit. Take a moment to reflect on how each candle on the advent wreath brings more light. Light in the darkness. Light in the world and our souls. This candle symbolizes the virtue of peace. It is fittingly called the Angel's candle. Angels of Light.

Peace is not the absence of conflict but maintaining an interior peace in conflict, fear, loss,

interruptions, frustrations, and disappointments. We hear at every Mass the words of Jesus, "My peace I give you." Jesus tells us His peace is not the peace the world gives and says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." John 14:27

How do we receive peace through God's will? Saint Paul of the Cross advises us, "From humility of heart proceeds serenity of mind, gentleness of conduct, interior peace in every good." Saint Augustine reminds us that peace replaces restlessness when our hearts are directed toward God.

If we have faith then we know deep in the recesses of our hearts that He holds us in the palm of His hand. We must remove anything that is binding us or diverting us away from Him and His peace. He can heal and restore us, giving us that precious peace of soul.

Whenever I hear "Oh come, Oh come Emanuel" - I think of the line "and ransom captive Israel." What is stealing or hijacking your peace? Where do you need to grow in trust and faith? What do you need to remove from your life?

The readings today give us hope and peace. Mary in Luke's passage of the Annunciation shows us perfect faith and trust in God's will. She is the model of humility. The Holy Spirit overshadows her. She was open and accepted the grace. Saint Paul reminds us we cannot maintain interior peace ourselves by sheer will; but only through grace and the gift of God through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

One of my favorite titles for Christ is the Prince of Peace. Whatever you are feeling and experiencing, whatever wrong, sadness, distractions, ill health, or anxiety you are suffering with, close your eyes and think of that beautiful scene, Christ in the manger. Hear the Angel's words at the time of Christ's birth, "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." Luke 2:14.

Then pray to the Prince of Peace for that gift of peace for you, so you can be an Angel of light in the darkness.

Advent

Advent

AN ADVENT CHALLENGE

PREPARATION AND WAITING

REJOICE SUNDAY

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

PEACE

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AN ADVENT CHALLENGE

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