Note from Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Parish family,
Advent is much more than a time of frenetic activity between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a season all to itself that all too often gets overlooked. The word Advent comes from the Latin noun Adventus, which means approach or arrival. Who is approaching or whose arrival are we awaiting? Christmas, the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, is a commemoration of Jesus’ first coming in time as John tells us: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world not to judge or condemn, but to set free” (John 3:16): this event has already taken place in time. Our faith also proclaims that Christ will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead (cfr. Matthew 25). Surely we can prepare for this final coming of Christ, but what about the time between the Incarnation and the Final Judgment? Advent is an invitation to stop, quiet down, pray and reflect about the coming of Jesus Christ into our lives, here now: today. So, how can I use this Advent to prepare my life, not for Christmas, but for Christ? Where do I need to make room to let Him enter? These four weeks of Advent are a gift of time to look at our lives and reflect on how well I have welcomed Jesus Christ into my life as the Lord of my life. When I pray: “Come, Lord Jesus”, do I really mean it? Take time this Advent to pray, read scripture, attend the Sacraments ( especially Eucharist and Penance) and truly make time and space for Jesus Christ in your life. Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay.
God Bless, Fr. Dan