Today begins our Advent journey…Advent is like a “Mini-Lent”…Its a time to prepare our hearts for the “reason for the season” - The birth of Jesus Christ….A child was was born in “plain sight” to the world - But the world “missed it”….Today Jesus walks amongst us just as he did 2000 years ago - Do we see him?
We are told at Holy Mass today in the Book of Romans…...............”Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.”……....How are you going to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child this Advent, who is the Light of the world?…..Will you fast? - Go to daily Mass? - Pray the Rosary daily? - Go to Eucharistic Adoration?……How will you prepare your heart for the child?…..The world waits….But to appreciate his coming properly - To be able to look past all the materialism of the season, we must look deep within our self…Have you considered going to Confession with a Priest? - How long has it been?…..This is how we prepare - This is how we make Christmas truly special…….In the Gospel today we are told by St Matthew about the time when Noah was preparing for the flood….."As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man”….How did Noah know the flood was coming?….Why did he go to great lengths to prepare?…..Just as Noah knew - So do we - We are told point blank that Jesus will come again - Are we ready! - If not - Get ready!
"All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths."
Advent is a special time for me…Before I was married, I would spend this time in Kolkata, India…So many wonderful memories…Every year at the beginning of Advent, I would board a plane for 18 hours….Feeling “clean” and “fresh”….Comfortable in my “modern” lifestyle….Working at the time at Morgan Stanley, one of the world's largest Investment Banks….I was in good shape…I ate well…I was very healthy…..And THEN………. I would board the plane and land in Kolkata…The moment I got off the plane - There was a smell to the air…The air has a smell in Kolkata that I can not describe in words…But the moment I landed and smelled it - I knew I was in for “an adventure”….....God had something for me to experience…And each time I went to India for Advent - I was never disappointed - God would change me as a result of the experience: Through the Missionaries of Charity, seeing with my own two eyes their radical sacrifice…Through the street people we served…..Through the volunteers I met from all over the world…..Through the city itself - Kolkata is called by the locals - The City of Joy - And yes, those who know the city understand why it is called by this name……Each Advent a journey would begin for me…Now that I am married with five young children, I no longer go to India for Advent - But a journey begins none-the-less….My wife and I both prepare ourselves for the Christ Child through fasting….Fasting is a good way to sharpen your prayer and when you “go without”, you cling to God all the more…And when you fast, when Christmas Day comes, you enjoy the day so much more! - I invite you to participate in this practice…..Advent is a special time if we make it special…Its so easy to get “caught up” in all the materialism and "noise" of Christmas in America - This was another thing I would always notice when I traveled to India…I would leave JFK airport in New York City and Christmas was in "full gear" - The lights, all the advertisements and “the bling” of a Secular Christmas we all know too well here in America…I would go from that, only to arrive in India, and stark poverty would be like a cold bucket of water dumped over my head….This sharp contrast would bring to my mind Joseph and Mary, how they journeyed together in poverty to Bethlehem, their struggle almost became my struggle in a small way as I lived in a third-world city for three weeks…Eating simply, living in a humble flat and many times getting sick from the air pollution…All these things allowed me to cling to Christ!!!! - To prepare my heart - To share in the “struggle” of the Nativity in a very small way..............So how will you prepare for this journey that starts today?……Make it count!…..As with all journeys, we begin with a “first step”….Take that “step” today!……And enjoy the ride……And prepare the way for Christ!
“So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come”………JMJ
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