Celebrating Christ’s Advent by Archbishop Raymond Burke

On Sunday, December 2nd next, we begin our annual observance of the Season of Advent. During the Season of Advent, the Church draws our attention to the most fundamental reality of our life: eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Advent draws our minds and hearts to the truth that God the Son has been made man, has taken our human nature, in order: 1) to save us from our sins and their fruit, eternal death; and 2)to win for us the inheritance of true sons and daughters of God, that is, the inheritance of eternal life.

The all-glorious reality which captures our attention and inspires our wonder during the Season of Advent is the coming of Jesus Christ, God the Son Incarnate, into the world. The reality is greater than we can ever fully comprehend. Our annual observance of Advent keeps our eyes fixed on the truth which is fundamental to our everyday life in Christ, the truth that God the Son has come into the world and remains with us always in the Church, above all, in the Sacraments.

If you wish some spiritual reading for the Season of Advent, I commend to you two books of Pope Benedict XVI: God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life (Ignatius Press, 2003), and The Blessing of Christmas (Ignatius Press, 2007); and two books of the lay theologian John Saward: Redeemer in the Womb (Ignatius Press, 1993), and Cradle of Redeeming Love: The Theology of the Christmas Mystery (Ignatius Press, 2002).

A Eucharistic Season

Advent is, first of all, a Eucharistic season. When we recall, with wonder, Christ's coming into the world by His birth of Mary at Bethlehem, our hearts understand immediately the oneness of the manger, in which the Blessed Virgin Mary placed her Infant Son to rest, with the altar upon which our Lord comes down to be with us and the tabernacle in which he remains with us always...[continued here at Catholic Exchange, (html format)]

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