Archbishop Burke on "Advent: Preparing for Christ's coming"

Advent: Time of consolation and encouragement

We begin a new Liturgical Year with the celebration of the First Sunday of Advent. Fittingly, we begin the Church Year with four Sundays of preparation for Christmas, the celebration of the great mystery of the Incarnation. The two principal celebrations of the mystery of the Incarnation are the Solemnity of the Annunciation (March 25), in which we recall the conception of God the Son in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit; and the Solemnity of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ (Dec. 25).

Advent means, literally, coming or arrival, namely, the coming or arrival of God into our midst with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son made man. In truth, Christ first arrived in our midst at the moment of His conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary, at the Annunciation. At Christmas, we celebrate the first fruit of His conception, His birth at Bethlehem.

The Advent Season is a time of great consolation and encouragement for us. It is a time of consolation, for it reminds us of how much God loves us. God loves us so much that He has made His home with us first at Bethlehem and now in the Church. It is a time of great encouragement, for it brings us the grace to live more intensely in the company of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Archbishop Burke's column, a wonderful reflection on Advent, is rich with suggestions to help us prepare for the birth of our Savior. He highlights aspects which are fundamental to our proper preparation:

Preparation for Christmas
Preparation for Christ's coming in the Church
Preparation for Christ's coming on the last day
Preparing by growing in knowledge
Preparing by growing in prayer

And among these, he reminds us and recommends to us the means of growing in our prayer life my frequent confession and daily Mass. It's also the perfect time to commit to spending an hour with the Lord in Adoration each week, if we are not already doing so - and during this time with Jesus, we can read the Gospel of Luke and learn more about the mystery of the Incarnation by studying the Catechism.

He also suggests that we renew our devotion to the Sacred Heart at this time as well as continuing (or starting) to pray the Rosary, and joining the Rosary Crusade for Life, especially noting that Christ and all of us, began our earthly journey as embryos.

We are also reminded that we are live our faith in Christ - to love with an authentic love, that self-sacrificing love, as did our Lord. It is in this way that we may be effective as the instruments of God in converting the hearts of those who have succumbed to the secularization and promises of the current culture which emphasizes selfishness over charity, death over life, slavery over freedom.

Archbishop Burke's column can be read in its entirety here. And check back as more reflections and meditations will be posted throughout the month.