Unity & Peace – Heals and Transform

Advent is one of the two periods in the Church year when we emphasize our need for God’s mercy and forgiveness, and our need to repent and reconcile (Lent is the other). God’s desire for our good needs to be matched by our desire for liberation from our sin and guilt. As we promote the Advent themes of longing, expecting, and hoping, we seek to foster a lively relationship with God who heals, strengthens, and gives life.

Advent is a short season, just four weeks. It has two parts: Advent I – about the fulfillment of the expectation of the second coming of Christ; and Advent II – the anticipation of the celebration of the Birth of Christ. In Advent I, which ends on December 16, the Scripture readings offer us images from the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of a Messiah, a Savior, a peace-maker, etc. The Gospels offer images, too, of second coming and God’s ultimate victory over death.

Advent II offers images of the birth of a savior, a liberator. In this second part of Advent we hear the stories of the births of great persons in the history of Israel. We also hear about John the Baptist and his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. We hear of the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would give birth to a Savior named Jesus, and we hear of her relationship with Joseph. We must know these Scriptures and tell the stories to our children and to each other. We must continue to foster hope-filled, light-filled traditions in the midst of the winter darkness. Such actions are those of a hopeful and expectant people!

How can we prepare? Read the Scriptures! Create your Advent wreaths and light the candles! Prepare your minds and hearts with prayer! Seek reconciliation and healing through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist! Try to heal your broken relationships with family, friends, coworkers, people at church, and even strangers. This is a time of fulfillment, of preparation, of making things whole.

In your preparations for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation do not only think of your sins. Remember what God desires: that all would be one! God intended from the beginning that there would be unity in the world, among women and men of every tribe, language and nation.

Let our Advent efforts be focused on unity and peace which heals and transforms that which is divided and in conflict. Come, O come, Emmanuel!

Peace, Fr. Andy