 Fr.
Tom's Tomes November 27, 2005
This weekend we begin Advent which is the Church’s preparation season for Christmas. In our world around us retailers are very concerned about the after Thanksgiving Christmas sales. Usually the Friday after Thanksgiving is one, if the not the busiest shopping day of the year. Through the next 28 days retailers will be helping people to prepare for the Christmas holiday. The focus of the world is to get people excited about Christmas and to have people buy many gifts and notions.
The Church’s Advent season is entirely different. We invite people to spiritually prepare for Christmas. The focus is upon the individual person’s relationship with God and to help the person to be prepared to meet Jesus Christ face to face. On Christmas we share in the mystery of the Incarnation. Jesus came into the world to share with us the message of God’s love and to bring us salvation. Jesus took on humanity to show the Father’s love.
During the season of Advent we are preparing to meet Jesus at the end of the world or at the time of our death. In preparing for this meeting Jesus is concerned how we are living in preparation for this moment. It is a time of concerning ourselves about the love we have of God and others. Advent is not a time for decorating and gift buying alone but a time of evaluating how am I responding to the love of God in my life.
Advent is a time of preparing to meet Jesus face to face. The scripture readings at Sunday Masses talk about the promise and fulfillment of God’s promise.
As we approach Christmas and our minds and thoughts turn towards the gifts we will give to each other. We need to think about the gifts and talents we have and what we can share with others. It is the abilities we have from God to share with others around us. During the Advent season as individuals and as families we can make time to use our gifts and talents to help others. As we come into contact with other individuals let us share what we have to help one another.
God bless you during this first week of Advent.
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