Believe it or not, here we are at the beginning of Advent! This weekend, we once again begin a time of preparation for the birth of Christ. I encourage each of you to use this time wisely. Might I suggest a few spiritual activities you may want to consider this Advent: namely, attend Mass (daily and weekend), make a good confession, pray a holy hour in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, pray the Rosary with your family, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with the parish family (daily at 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel), read the Bible, or partake in a fast. These are small means of preparation that show God we are preparing for the coming of His Son. Fr. Francis Fernandez offers us the following to think about as we enter this First Sunday of Advent:
“The Church reminds us . . . with a four-week period of preparation, so that we can get ourselves ready to celebrate Christmas once more. And at the same time so that, with the first coming to the world of God made Man, we may be heedful of those other ’advents’ of God – first when we die, and then again at the end of time. The holy season is thus a time of preparation and of hope.”
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne