Fr. Michael writes: The shops; the media; the street decorations tells us that Christmas is just around the corner. For Christians, however, the celebration of Christmas remains four weeks away. Until Christmas Day arrives on the 25th December we are in the more sombre, reflective season of Advent. We are given Advent for a purpose. Let us make the most of it.
As we know, Advent is a time of preparation – a time of preparation for the coming of Christ, both as a baby in the stable at Bethlehem, but also His Second coming as the Lord of all Glory at the end of time, In the Gospel Jesus reminds us that each of us have been assigned our own unique task in the Church and in the world. When He returns, happy the person who is found quietly about their everyday mission as a Christian. We must not be caught off guard or found napping. That is the reason for Christ’s insistence, “Stay awake!”Advent 1B