Happy New Year? Now? Yes! - The First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new Church Liturgical Year - in this four week period we are given a fresh chance to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead. Short vision - preparing for Christmas - the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Long vision - preparing for that time - somewhere in the future - when we will meet Our Lord Face to Face - the end of our life - the end of the world. Advent is not a penitential season - rather a time of reflection to see who we are - what we have done - where we are headed - what we need to do - to be ready for Christ's Second Coming.
There are so many times in our lives that we are given a second chance to get things right - a re-do of sorts. Time to revisit events and situations that we have already experienced when we did not do as well as originally hoped. In Advent we have the gift of four weeks to focus on our spiritual life - what was done well - what needs improvement - how to accomplish that goal. At the end of these four weeks we will not just be ready to celebrate Our Lord's birth - but also better prepared for our own end days. Advent a season looking to the future - what is coming.
Come Lord Jesus
Deacon Dale
