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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
Concrete Ways To Prepare Yourself In Advent
A few years ago a young couple was getting ready to host the husband's parents for Christmas. They both worked long hours, the house was a mess, and they kept saying, "We'll clean this weekend... we'll get the guest room ready soon... we've got time."
They knew the parents were coming "sometime before Christmas," but not the exact day. So they waited. And postponed. And procrastinated. Then one afternoon, the husband's phone buzzed: "We're about three hours away! So excited to see you!" He looked around: dishes piled up, laundry everywhere, junk on the guest bed. Panic. Suddenly everything was urgent.
In three hours, what had seemed "no big deal" for weeks became the only thing that mattered. The parents were already on their way. Their arrival wasn't an idea anymore; it was real.
That, in a way, is the tone of the First Sunday of Advent. Here are a few simple Advent steps - small, but real - to prepare yourself in Advent:
1. One daily moment of real prayer.
Even 5-10 minutes.
† Turn off your phone.
† Sit or kneel.
† Say: "Lord, I want to be ready for you. Show me where I'm asleep."
† Listen in silence, then speak to him simply and honestly.
2. Ask: what needs "putting off"?
Following St. Paul's exhortation in the second reading maybe:
† A habit of gossip or harsh words.
† An addiction to screens or entertainment.
† A hidden resentment you keep feeding.
Choose one concrete thing to begin changing this week.
3. Ask: what can I "put on" for Christ?
† A small act of kindness each day.
† A bit of Scripture: read the Gospel of the day.
† An intentional smile or word of encouragement to someone who's alone.
4. Make a plan for confession.
† Don't just have the vague idea "I should go sometime before Christmas."
† Pick a day and time. Write it down. That's how you move from "later" to now.
5. Advent at home.
† If you have an Advent wreath or even just a candle at home, choose a time each week - maybe Sunday evening - to gather, light a candle, read a short Scripture, and pray one "Our Father" together. Let your home feel the season, not just the stores.
Not fear, but friendship
If we only hear today's readings as threat - "Jesus is coming, better be scared" - we miss the heart of the Gospel.
Jesus is not a thief coming to steal our joy. He is the Bridegroom coming for his bride, a Friend coming to the friends he loves, a Savior who wants us awake so we don't miss him.
That young couple, after the frantic cleaning and chaos, finally greeted the parents at the door. The house wasn't perfect - there were still socks in odd places and a few dust bunnies. But the parents didn't come with a white glove to inspect the shelves. They came to be with their children. So it is with God.
Our preparation won't be perfect. But if he finds us honestly trying, honestly turning, honestly seeking - that's what delights His heart.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord:
As we begin this new liturgical year, let's hear Isaiah's invitation as our Advent motto: "Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." Not run in panic, not hide in fear - walk with him in the light.
May this first candle of Advent be more than just decoration. May it be a reminder:
† to wake up,
† to open the door,
† and to welcome the Lord who is already on his way.
In the Service of the Lord,
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