Advent 2014
Dear Parishioners,
We are living in an Advent world; with an economy that can at best be described as uncertain; with wars whose length can only be described as indefinite; in times that must be described as anxious; the world just may be open to the Advent message. Just maybe, the words of a prophet, the voice of an angel, the cry of a newborn child, have a chance to get through.
In an Advent world, people know that the way things are is not the way things should be. In an Advent world, people are searching for something more, something more than just the return of consumer confidence, or a rejuvenated job market, important as those are.
In an Advent world, people wonder if there really is a Purpose that comes to us from beyond our own desires; if there really is a Presence that empowers us to live; if there really is a Love that enfolds us when times are tough. In an Advent world, people are looking for hope.
When times are tough and people turn to the living God, hope is exactly what they find. Not easy answers for complex questions, not short-term fixes for deep-rooted problems, not band-aids for the wounds of the soul; instead they find hope: the sure and certain promise that God is at work within us and among us, guiding paths, strengthening resolve, encouraging justice, lifting burdens, wiping tears, healing hearts, and empowering lives.
We teach our kids that “it’s more important to give than to receive,” and in our consumer culture, celebrating the joy of giving is surely a virtue. But somewhere in the midst of this Advent, let us stop . . . pause . . . and remember that Christmas is also about receiving. It’s about receiving the gift that God offers us each and every Christmas . . . if we will only take it. The gift is hope, and the package has your name on it. Sometime in this holy season make sure to open it.
Fr. Leonard +