.png){kind=small}
Hello Friends,
The season of Advent is now upon us. It is a time of anticipation and hope during these four weeks prior to Christmas.
Oftentimes, unfortunately, Advent can get lost in all our pre-Christmas busyness. Even as people of faith, Advent can be placed on our life’s back burner as we hurry about finishing up the academic semester, making plans for the Holidays, figuring out what gifts to buy for our loved ones, and on and on. Indeed, the Advent season’s spiritual significance might become lost on us.
For Advent is ultimately about God keeping God’s promise to us, humanity, – that is, God’s promise to be with us - present - in a personal and loving way.
Advent is set aside by our Church as a time for you and me to prepare, full of hope, by opening our eyes anew and seeing with faith the Love of God. It invites you and me to anticipate and be open to welcoming the coming of Christ the Messiah into our lives in often new and unexpected ways.
But, as our Scripture readings for this First Sunday of Advent call to our attention, you and I must be awake and aware during this Advent season to welcome God to enter into our lives.
Our Catholic faith tradition provides a blueprint to help us do that during Advent.
The Season of Advent asks you and me to make time to prayerfully reflect so as to get a glimpse of the big picture – the ultimate reality, to really see what is right in front of us here and now – as well as what is to come. And for you and me to try to appreciate what the Incarnation really means and respond accordingly.
In the four weeks of Advent ahead, if you and I prayerfully take the opportunity to slow down, look, and discern, we can rediscover God’s Love in the middle of our frantic lives. God often appears in our lives in the unlikeliest of places and times. But nevertheless, God’s Love comes to every person who opens themselves up to receive Christ, touching every life with the tremendous gift of heaven’s peace and love.
As always, if there is anything we can do for you at UB Catholic campus ministry, please let me know. We are here for you.
May God bless you with Peace and All Good.
Fr. Greg