Time to renew our hope

From the Desk of Father David

Dear Friends in Christ,

              With so many things to do, it is easy to lose our focus on the true meaning of Advent.  Rev. Bruce Morrill, S.J. wrote an inspiring reflection on the Season of Advent for the Vatican II Weekday Missal.  I have included a portion of it here hoping it gives you food for thought.

              “How might Advent’s hope for the Lord’s second coming and reflection back on his birth long ago shape the way we practice our faith today? During the first phase of Advent the liturgy invites us to embrace and proclaim our troubled world’s longing for the final, definitive inbreaking of the kingdom of God, Christ’s creation of a new heaven and a new earth whereon the Sun of Justice will never set. We join our hearts and voices, our bodies and spirits, with all of creation-so riddled by war, poverty, disease, and pollution-in the groaning appeal for salvation. But therein lies the gift of the season. If we enter into the liturgical tradition, the groan becomes an expectant cry, a confident assurance that the Lord, who will one day make all things new, renews our strength and grants us peace as we join in his mission of compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. The second and final phase of Advent grounds this confidence in the quiet joy of remembering the Lord’s humble birth, the awesome mystery of God’s love emptied out in in the life of a child, Emmanuel, God with us now.”-Bruce T. Morril, S.J.

As you can tell from the reflection, Advent is a time to renew our hope in God’s action to make things better.  Hope is not wishful thinking, hope is based in who God is and remembering what He has done for us.  With all that is happening in the Church and world we definitely need this Advent Season to renew our hope and to be committed to spreading hope through our words and actions.

May God help us to trust Him more and fill us with joy that dispels all darkness.

In Advent hope,

Fr. David