Editorial
‘Come, Lord Jesus,’ fill our hearts with expectation, hope this Advent
The season of Advent offers us a new beginning.
And the way 2020 has played out, most of us are more than happy to begin the Church’s new liturgical year.
In a few weeks, we will celebrate Christmas, then a new calendar year. But before we get to those important dates, we mark a time of expectation and hope during Advent.
As we move into the 10th month of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S, expectation and hope may be the furthest things from many people’s minds.
But they could be at the forefront for many others as we move closer to developing and fully implementing vaccines to prevent COVID-19. We all can no doubt agree that time cannot come soon enough.
Advent offers us a chance to reflect on our relationship with Jesus, the Christ Child born in a stable 2,000-plus years ago in humility and love.
Whether we realize it or not, we encounter Christ every day. It could be through a family member, co-worker, friend or even stranger. Our faith invites us to truly see Christ in others, and to be Christ for others. Advent is an opportune time to slow down our daily routine, be present to others and encounter Christ in everyone we see.
We can also fine-tune our routine by attending daily Mass or praying with a celebration of it viewed online, where we can receive the Eucharist—our faith’s greatest gift—physically or spiritually.
Partaking in reconciliation (if possible), adding more spiritual reading or making extra time for prayer are other ways to encounter our Lord during this liturgical season.
During his Angelus address on Nov. 29 at the Vatican, Pope Francis reminded us that “the Lord comes every day, so that, with his grace, we might accomplish good in our own lives and in the lives of others. Our God is a God-who-comes, do not forget this: God is a God who comes, who continually comes. Our waiting will not be disappointed by him!”
The pope reminded his listeners that patience is required.
“He will perhaps make us wait, he will make us wait a few moments in the dark to allow our expectation to ripen, but he never disappoints,” Pope Francis said. “The Lord always comes, he is always by our side. At times, he does not make himself seen, but he always comes. He came at a precise moment in history and became man to take on our sins—the feast of the Nativity commemorates Jesus’ first coming in the historical moment.”
Despite the highs and lows we face in life—the times we see the light of Christ shine brightly in some situations, but at other times are overwhelmed by disappointment and failure—we must not let pessimism overwhelm us, the Holy Father said, noting the ongoing pandemic which “generates worry, fear and discouragement in many people.”
One way to respond to pessimism, the pope said, is to remember the words of Psalm 33: “Our soul waits for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name” (Ps 33:20-21).
“That is, the soul awaiting, confidently waiting for the Lord, allows us to find comfort and courage in the dark moments of our lives,” Pope Francis said. “And what gives rise to this courage and this trustful pledge? Where do they come from? They are born of hope. And hope does not disappoint, that virtue that leads us ahead, looking at the encounter with the Lord.”
During a liturgy earlier in the day at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father recommended a traditional Advent prayer to invite God to draw close during this new liturgical year.
“Let us make the traditional Advent prayer our own: ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’ … We can say it at the beginning of each day and repeat it often, before our meetings, our studies and our work, before making decisions, in every important or difficult moment of our lives: ‘Come, Lord Jesus,’ ” the pope said in his homily.
As we continue on our Advent journey, during this time of expectation and hope, let us remember those words: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
May they fill our hearts and draw us closer to our Savior each day.
—Mike Krokos