A First Sunday of Advent Thought to Start the Liturgical Year Off Right
The First Sunday of Advent marks the start of the Church's Liturgical Year. We start anew today - you, me, all of us Catholics. In it's wisdom, Holy Mother Church tells us to begin anew in a spirit of penance, as we await the coming of the Lord. And this year is special: we get a full four weeks of Advent. Let's make it count.
Remember first that not only do we remember His coming at that first Christmas, but we await His Second Coming. That's why the spirit of penance takes precedence. That spirit of penance clears a path for Our Lord's coming. We don't want our vision obscured when He comes; we don't want to put obstacles in His way, do we?
When we allow the freshness of the beginning of the Liturgical Year to penetrate our souls, a new energy and enthusiasm revives our minds and hearts. With our minds now clear, our thoughts are true; our hearts beat stronger. Our human heart longs to know, to touch the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, He who was quickened in the womb of His Blessed Mother when she responded to the angel:
We long to say these heartfelt words ourselves to recapture that life of grace lost with the Original Sin of Adam and Eve and, of course, our own sins. Our Advent preparation paves the way for us. Our special prayer and penance causes our gaze to rise above this world and to look away from ourselves. Instead, we look to the East, whence comes Our Lord. Indeed in the final days of Advent, as we pray the "O Antiphons," we will, on December 21st, pray the "O Oriens":
Latin:
O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
English:
O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
We recall how for so many centuries, waiting and watching, the prophets reminded their people to prepare, to repent when they had sinned, to ready themselves for the coming of the Messiah. Take some time to contemplate what it must have been like for the Chosen People who were promised a Savior, a Redeemer, a Messiah, a fresh beginning. How many times they fell from grace by their sins, as do we in our own lives when we sin. How many times God sent his prophets to shake them from the misery of their sins, how many times God forgave them their sins, just as he does with each and every one of us during our journey in this life. Make a good confession at least once during this Holy Season of Advent, especially if you've committed any grave sin.
Get ready for the coming of your Redeemer, your Savior, your new life in the graces that flooded this weary world on that great day of His Incarnation at the Annunciation, and His birth on Christmas morning. Don't let the freshness of the beginning of Advent be lost in the busy swirl of your daily life. And what can capture this fresh beginning better than our traditional hymn, Veni, Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come Emmanuel.) It's the perfect antidote for the avalanche of "holiday music" that will probably assault you during the coming weeks.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts.
Remember first that not only do we remember His coming at that first Christmas, but we await His Second Coming. That's why the spirit of penance takes precedence. That spirit of penance clears a path for Our Lord's coming. We don't want our vision obscured when He comes; we don't want to put obstacles in His way, do we?
When we allow the freshness of the beginning of the Liturgical Year to penetrate our souls, a new energy and enthusiasm revives our minds and hearts. With our minds now clear, our thoughts are true; our hearts beat stronger. Our human heart longs to know, to touch the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, He who was quickened in the womb of His Blessed Mother when she responded to the angel:
Be it done unto me according to thy word.
We long to say these heartfelt words ourselves to recapture that life of grace lost with the Original Sin of Adam and Eve and, of course, our own sins. Our Advent preparation paves the way for us. Our special prayer and penance causes our gaze to rise above this world and to look away from ourselves. Instead, we look to the East, whence comes Our Lord. Indeed in the final days of Advent, as we pray the "O Antiphons," we will, on December 21st, pray the "O Oriens":
Latin:
O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
English:
O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
We recall how for so many centuries, waiting and watching, the prophets reminded their people to prepare, to repent when they had sinned, to ready themselves for the coming of the Messiah. Take some time to contemplate what it must have been like for the Chosen People who were promised a Savior, a Redeemer, a Messiah, a fresh beginning. How many times they fell from grace by their sins, as do we in our own lives when we sin. How many times God sent his prophets to shake them from the misery of their sins, how many times God forgave them their sins, just as he does with each and every one of us during our journey in this life. Make a good confession at least once during this Holy Season of Advent, especially if you've committed any grave sin.
Get ready for the coming of your Redeemer, your Savior, your new life in the graces that flooded this weary world on that great day of His Incarnation at the Annunciation, and His birth on Christmas morning. Don't let the freshness of the beginning of Advent be lost in the busy swirl of your daily life. And what can capture this fresh beginning better than our traditional hymn, Veni, Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come Emmanuel.) It's the perfect antidote for the avalanche of "holiday music" that will probably assault you during the coming weeks.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts.
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