Advent Begins November 29

Advent is the season where we prepare for the coming of Jesus. This coming of Jesus has a double meaning as we prepare to remember the coming of Jesus in Christmas as well as we look ahead to the time when Jesus comes again. At one time, Advent was, like lent, a time of fasting. These days we are more likely to be spending December with a month of feasting on food and the excesses of purchasing in preparation for an extravagant Christmas. This year, with unemployment high and budgets running slim, it may be an excellent time to recapture the Peace and simplicity of a fasting Advent. Is there one thing that can be left out from our normal practices - a rich food, a scaled back present budget, a few less lights? What is there from our hectic practice of Christmas that distracts us from remembering and trusting in our Lord Jesus that we can leave aside this year? Perhaps there is even one thing for each of the four candles of our Advent season? I don't want to steal one bit of Joy from the season, but rather to refocus our Joy on the life of Love Jesus is calling us to. As with any fast, any pangs of hunger or regret for setting aside something from the season should be a call to prayer to return us to praise of Jesus and Hope for his return. Let us spend as much effort preparing our hearts and lives for the coming of Jesus as we do for the coming of the holiday this year.