December 2, 2012 – First Sunday of Advent
Jer 33:14-16; Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14; 1 Thes 3:12-4:2; Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Today we begin our celebration of the Season of Advent. We spend the next four weeks preparing our hearts and our minds for the celebration of Christmas, when the Lord Jesus became man and came into this world in order to save us from our sins. As we begin this Advent season, today’s scripture readings call us to focus on what Jesus did for us that first Christmas day, humbling Himself and taking on our humanity out of love for sinful man, and, at the same time, to focus on His second coming at the end of time.
With bold faith, we proclaim that Christ will come again, and He will come on a day in an hour that we do not know, so we must live every day like it is the day of His second coming. We must spend time preparing to greet the Lord, living our lives for His glory, offering ourselves to Him in gratitude for all He has done for us.
Advent offers us a great time to reconsider how we are living our lives. If Jesus comes again today, will He be pleased with who we are and how we live? Is there more we can do to put Him first in our lives? Spend time this Advent season strengthening your faith and living it out.
