Pink - Rose - Purple - on this Third Sunday of Advent the focus is not on the color of vestments worn at Holy Mass - rather - Joy - Happiness - Hope. As people of hope we pause and reflect on where we might possibly find moments of joy - cheer - happy events that bring pleasure into our lives. Advent - unlike Lent - which is a time of penance - is the season in which we reflect and review our lives and what we have accomplished - how good we are. In Advent - we should focus on how we can improve - become better Christians . All too often - others - meaning well - lead us on a path of discovery - focusing only on our failures - disappointments - wrapping the good - happy moments - in stories that overshadow any cheerful moments we could remember.
Rather than focusing on our failures - we need to unwrap everything that is hiding the cheer that is in our life. With the help of Jesus - we may see our goodness - too often hidden by guilt - anxiety - distractions - placed in front of us by the world. As Christians we live counter cultural to what the world says is important. People not things are what helps us unwrap our cheer. As we continue our Advent journey - may all of us rediscover the cheer in our lives.
Deacon Dale
