first sunday of advent

This weekend we begin a new liturgical year with the Season of Advent.  With each passing day from now until Christmas, we will lose about 20 minutes more of daylight.  As I love to go for walks, in the evening there will be opportunities to enjoy the stars in the sky and all of the decorations that light up our neighbourhoods.  There is something about darkness.  We slow down, and in the case of reflecting upon the Season of Advent, we prepare.
 
The message we will be hearing throughout the season of Advent is exactly that.  Preparing – preparing our hearts, for our God is sending a Saviour, Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.
 
This preparing involves prayer and our active participation in the liturgy and sacraments of the Church, and our willingness to serve and to be of service to one another.  Advent draws us in and invites us to do all this, with the help of Holy Spirit, to meet our God, who comes to us in the form of a baby.
 
As we begin this Advent journey as a parish family, either in person or virtually, may we ponder the birth of our Saviour some 2000 years ago as we unite our prayers together to prepare for the coming of Christ into our hearts this Christmas. 
 
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
 
May God bless and keep safe each of you and those that you love,
Fr. Greg