Advent Happy Advent to all of you! You may recall that the 1st Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. My sincerest wishes and prayers are that your faith, hope, and love will grow abundantly during this season. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus which means “coming” Therefore, this season is charged with expectation and hope. This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (a book that every catholic ought to own) has to say about what we are awaiting to come: “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming” (CCC, 524). The season of Advent, therefore, has a twofold character. We both share in the Jews’ great expectation of Jesus’ first coming by remembering, praying, and celebrating what led up to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and thereby we are renewed in our desire for His second and final coming at the end of time. When we recognize that our steady attention on life’s ultimate goal directly influences how we think and behave in the present moment, we can see the wisdom of Holy Mother Church providing for us at Mass on this first Sunday of Advent Jesus’ exhortation to remain watchful for His Second Coming (His second advent). This watchfulness on its deepest level has the tone similar to a spouse awaiting with great joy and anticipation the return of his/her spouse from a long trip away from home. This is meant to be a time of joyful anticipation, not of fearful anxiety. What should be welling up in our hearts like an uncontainable fountain are the words, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Still, as any spouse would on a natural level put the house in order while awaiting the great return of his/her spouse, we need to put the house of our spiritual life in order. Therefore, a spirit of repentance and conversion must be at work in our hearts alongside and as the companion of our spirit of joyful anticipation. The season of Advent is an ideal time to come to the Sacrament of Confession so to be restored, renewed, and strengthened by the mercy of Jesus Christ. If you examine your life and recognize that you’ve been drifting further away from the Lord recently, especially during this pandemic, I encourage you to ask the Lord for the grace of repentance and conversion. Come and receive His mercy! (See the bulletin for details on when the Sacrament of Confession is being offered.) As a brother in Christ and as your spiritual father, I lovingly encourage each one of you to take advantage of this season that the Lord gives to us. You may consider to read the daily readings for Mass each day, you may decide to read a good spiritual book, you may decide to give more of yourself in works of charity, you may decide to dedicate a certain amount of time to prayer each day…whatever it is that you decide to do, know that I will be praying for you every day. I earnestly ask for your prayers as well. May the good Lord lead our hearts throughout this season to want above all else the coming of Jesus Christ into our lives. God bless you!