Having feasted with food, family and friends this past Thanksgiving, we now turn our attention to Christmas. In addition to the Black Friday lists, we probably were working on other lists to prepare food, gifts, entertainment, invites, cleaning and a host of other items. But what about how we will use these days of preparation to draw closer to Jesus as well as celebrate his birth?

                       On the First Sunday of Advent 2020, Pope Francis in a homily prayed:

Do we have the same type of urgency to prepare for Jesus’ coming into our hearts today as what we do in scrambling to prepare all the details for the Christmas festivities? The Season of Advent calls us out of the complacency of life to see Jesus coming into our lives and using us to bring his message of peace and hope to a world that desperately needs it. There are only four weeks of Advent and they can get lost easily in everything else that is going on during this month. However, the season is one that offers peace which is needed when we are overwhelmed by the demands of our lives. There will be Adoration every Wednesday and just 15 minutes of quiet before the Blessed Sacrament can settle your life.

There are also several opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the coming weeks. Why enter into this joyful season with baggage? On Monday there will be an explanation on why we go to confession and how to go to confession. It is not complicated and yet we can allow past teachings or present fears to hold us back from celebrating God’s forgiveness. Check out the listing of all the Advent opportunities in this bulletin. May this Advent settle your hearts and lead you to a greater awareness of Christ’s coming in your daily life.