J.M.J.
First
Sunday of Advent, November 29th. “Come, Lord JESUS. Do not delay.
Free Your People from their sins.” Advent is a once-in-a-year experience. We
meditate on life without JESUS, which
was true before He came more than 2,000 years ago. What utter emptiness and
despair. But now, Christ is with us! We ask God Our Father to make us more
thankful for His Son, JESUS. [Pray one Hail, Mary for the Poor Souls in
Purgatory.]
Feast
of Saint Andrew, Apostle, Monday, November 30th. Saint Andrew,
according to tradition, was crucified on a X cross rather than a + cross. Andrew means “manhood” or “valor.” He
was the brother of Saint Peter and worked as a fisherman. Saint Andrew is
especially venerated in Greece, Russia and Scotland. [Call or write to someone
who has COVID-19.]
Tuesday
of the First Week of Advent, December 1st. The Most Holy Name
of JESUS brings us peace, drives away demons and temptations and assures us of
His love. In an age where blasphemy is rampant, be the solution to the problem.
Always use God’s Holy Name as He desires.
[Plan now to assist a poor person sometime during Advent.]
Wednesday
of the First Week of Advent, December 2nd. During Advent, the
Holy Trinity, the Holy Family and Saint John the Baptist rightly receive much
attention. Each of us has a proper place in the Kingdom of God. What is yours? [Pray
the Glory Be three times in adoration of the Most Blessed Trinity.]
Memorial
of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, Thursday, December 3rd. Father Antonio Astrain, S.J.: “It is
truly a matter of wonder that one man in the short space of ten years (6 May,
1542 - 2 December, 1552) could have visited so many countries, traversed so
many seas, preached the Gospel to so many nations, and converted so many
infidels.” [Pray the Our Father so that our priests may be courageous as
was this Saint.]
Friday
of the First Week of Advent (First Friday; Saint John Damascene), December 4th.
“O
Sacred Heart of JESUS, We implore, O make us love Thee more and more.” Devotion
to the Most Sacred Heart of JESUS leads to increased love for the Most Blessed
Sacrament. JESUS is present in that Sacrament of love. Come, let us adore Him.
[Pray “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us” thirty-three times.]
Saturday
of the First Week of Advent (First Saturday), December 5th. “In the end, my
Immaculate Heart will triumph.” These were Our Lady’s words at Fatima, Portugal. We have total confidence in her
intercession, she who is the Mother of Our Lord and Our Mother, too. [Offer the
Most Holy Rosary for your family, living and deceased.]
The Son and His
Mother during Advent
The Church’s extraordinary
wisdom is illustrated in numerous ways, one being the very existence of Advent.
The Faithful are granted several weeks to make ready for the Solemnity of the
Birth of Christ so that December 25th will not be just another day
but rather a joyful, authentic commemoration of the first coming of Jesus over
2,000 years ago.
Mothers could tell us
much about preparation. The period of pregnancy helps mothers—and fathers and
siblings—to adjust for and anticipate the arrival of the newborn.
The Blessed Virgin Mary
experienced the first Advent. She knew, thanks to the Archangel Gabriel, that
the holy Child within her was “the Son of the Most High.” The long anticipation
of the people of Israel rested with Mary.
Our Lady’s pining for the Birth of the Savior
is the pattern for us. We desperately need Jesus. He wants to be with us in our
joys and sorrows. We commit ourselves to an Advent, in the spirit of Mary,
filled with prayer, self-denial and service.
Prayer. Advent calls forth our prayer by reminding us
that Jesus, Who came to redeem us from Original Sin, desires that we pray
because He knows how our relationship with Him, His Father and Their Holy
Spirit needs to be nourished.
+Spend extra time in
personal prayer; read Chapters 1 and 2 from the Holy Gospels according to
Saints Matthew and Luke; pray Our Lady’s Most Holy Rosary; go to Confession;
receive the Most Holy Eucharist often and worthily.
Self-denial. Any solid mortification
that we practice is valuable to our souls. We are to be fortified in order to
welcome Jesus again at Christmas. Self-denial effects our detachment from the
things of the world.
+Deny yourself some
legitimate pleasure; mortify your anger; stem your curiosity.
Service. The Birth of Jesus was
about obeying His Father and serving us. Christ undertook His mission as the
Suffering Servant Who selflessly laid down His life in adoration of His Father
and in service of His brothers and sisters.
+Visit an elderly person in a
retirement home; extend kindness to a pregnant woman; offer some alms to a soup
kitchen.
Mary did not merely
wait for the Birth of Jesus. Instead, she actively prepared for His coming. The
spiritual fruits we enjoy this Christmas will be in direct proportion to how
we, endowed with divine grace, prepared this Advent to greet Jesus.
