This Sunday we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent which begins the new liturgical year. From now until December 24, the Church is leading us through a special journey — a journey full of signs, symbols, special decorations and special music and above all, filled with the word of God. The liturgical readings reveal God’s coming, His Advent They reveal first, His coming in the end of time which is the theme of the first three Sundays of Advent, and second, Jesus’ coming that took place over two thousand years ago, which is the theme present in the liturgy from December 17 that includes the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Advent invites us to make proper preparation for His coming. In the readings of the second Sunday of Advent, we will hear the voice of John the Baptist, who not only announces the Messiah’s arrival as the reason for joy, but also calls for a sincere conversion of heart. He invokes the voice of the prophet Isaiah who seven centuries earlier called his fellow citizens to: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (Is 40:3).

The Church also calls us to prepare ourselves and all the members of our family for Christmas — the celebration of the full revelation of our God. He revealed who He is but also who we are, how to live and where we are going. As we live now on the earth with all its joys and sorrows, Advent is a powerful reminder that this life is not our ultimate destination, that it has its limit and that we, the earth and the entire universe, will find their completion and fulfillment when Jesus will come again and when there will be “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:5).

I encourage you, brothers and sisters, to take advantage of this Advent. The traditional outward signs of this special time could be a powerful amplification of the Christian message. I invite you to decorate your houses with Advent candles or just one candle with possibly a violet ribbon. It will be a permanent reminder to you and to your children that we are in Advent, and that we are called to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. Make a family event of decorating the Christmas tree, reminding your children and yourself that this tree is on display only because Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Remind your children that the very word “Christmas” comes from the “Christ,” our Savior. Consider going to sacramental confession in Advent, and encourage others to go as well. Try to reconcile yourself with other people, those from your family and others.  Think about and pray for those who are experiencing war, especially children in Gaza and in Ukraine. These are some activities, and there are many more like these, that will help us to celebrate Christmas with all the spiritual riches it brings. 

I wish you a happy, joyful and fruitful Advent! 

Fr. Mark Jurzyk