Saturday, December 1, 2012

A season of great hope!

He is the Light in our darkness
I don’t know about you but December 1st sneaked up on me and not only that so has the First Sunday of Advent which is tomorrow!  I have been looking forward to Advent, in fact I could say that I have been longing for this grace-filled time in the Church year.

The past year has been wonderful in many ways but in many ways it has been ghastly.  I have heard it said recently:  “Christmas?  Who needs Christmas?  It is just one more pressure in my life.”  How sad!  Who needs Christmas?  We all do!   More than that, we need the One who is the reason for Christmas – our dearest Incarnate Lord!  There are pressures and anxieties and sadness and dispiritedness in the world because we have forgotten the fact that Jesus came – as a tiny, vulnerable baby – to show us how much He loves us.  And that is one of the reasons why so many are so negative about Christmas and about life; it is because they do not realize that they are loved!  Oh if only we could realize that truth; if only that truth could break through the sorrow and sadness of life today. 
That is why we have the season of Advent.  It is a voice crying in the wilderness saying “Wake up”!  Jesus has come, and He is coming again, to lift our burdens, to dry our tears, to penetrate the shadows of our sadness and to make us realize that He is Emmanuel – He is God with us!  Remember that He is always with us, lest we forget.
During Advent the Church gives us daily Scripture readings that will stir up our hearts and re-ignite the light of faith that burns there.  Please take the time to read the daily readings for Mass, go to daily Mass if you can, come back to the Church if you are away, go to Confession if your heart is heavy because of some sin, stop and make a firm commitment not to give in to the darkness of our age.  Jesus is coming; He has already come.  Give us the grace, Lord, to believe! 
http://www.wordonfire.org/WOF-Radio/Sermons/Sermon-Archive-for-2012/Sermon-621-Look-to-the-Son-of-Man-1st-Sunday.aspx

4 comments:

L. said...

Sister,

Thank you for your thoughtful comments about Christmas, the season of hope.

I was wondering if you ever read your comments or respond to them.....I left you a comment on your post 'Be Present in the Present and checked back several times including tonight and was disappointed to see that you hadn't responded. I had hoped you might give me your thoughts.

Sister Judith said...

Dear Laura:

I am so sorry that I disappointed you by not resonding to your comment on one of my earlier posts. Frankly, I didn't know how to respond. I hope this works. I hope my post about the season of hope was helpful. I looked back to your earlier comments and see that you struggle wih fear from time to time. I have had my own bouts with fear but not for many years. Let me think some more about it and I will get back to you. Know that you will be in my prayers.

Sister Judith said...

Dear Laura:

Did you receive my last post?

Sister Judith said...

Dear Laura:

Did you receive my last post?