Advent

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. realized that a revolution of values is the true end o nonviolence.

Pursue the gifts of inner peace, even among life’s inevitable noise, chaos and conflict.

Thomas Merton spells out a path for all Christians to follow and authentically seek a world of peace.

Liturgy directors and parish volunteers are busily preparing buildings and worship spaces for a prayerful Advent season and anticipation for Christmas.

What sets Advent apart from the usual secular preparations for Christmas is the spiritual dimension: Advent is a time of both prayer and penance. As Catholics, we are called to exercise a more disciplined approach to our spiritual lives during the four weeks of Advent and to pay special attention to our words and deeds as we wait patiently for the coming of Christ.

The gift of Advent is time to prepare ourselves to embrace all things new, for it reminds us that we continually begin again.

The Magnificat is among the most theologically powerful speeches in the entirety of the New Testament. Given its place in the narrative of the birth of Our Lord, the commencement of Advent is the perfect time for meditating on Our Lady’s words.

There’s so much suffering in this world right now, so much sorrow. It’s up to us to decide how we might give our heart during Advent. We may need a plan.