As we enter this Fourth Sunday of Advent, I would like to share with you something I came across recently by St. John Paul II regarding Advent.
“Advent . . . helps us to understand the fullness of the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, we must understand that our whole life should be an “advent”, in vigilant expectation of Christ’s final coming. To prepare our hearts to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, will come one day to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize His presence in the events of daily life. Advent is then a period of intense training that directs us decisively to the One who has already come, who will come and who continuously comes.”
As we await the birth of the One in the Manger
As we anticipate His Second Coming
As we seek His presence in the Eucharist
May we be filled with a sense of awe and joy. Let us continue to prepare our minds and hearts for the events of this week.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne