Advent is a dual season in the life of the Church. It is
the season of waiting for the COMING and the season of the SECOND COMING. For in
Advent we await both and each. We look forward to a past event, a near event and a future
event.
The past event is the birth of Jesus, destined to be the Savior of the world. Although
the event is past, scripture constantly reminds us of the coming, as though we are viewing
it anew. And we are; for the story of the birth of the King is an ever exciting
anticipation of a great happening. This is Advent Season. We look forward to the day when
He is born.
The near event is our reaction to the story of the Birth. We would never become so
accustomed to Christmas that we treat the coming season as merely the remembrance of a
past event. It is the yearly experiencing of the participation in Advent, the yearning for
Jesus to reappear in our lives that makes the season joyful.
The future event is the Second Coming. While we have not seen this aspect of Advent, we
have been reassured of eventual occurrence. During Advent we must always be on guard that
the longed-for event doesn’t become so commonplace in our minds that we fail to see
our place in the future.
May this Advent season prepare us to meet the One who has come, who continues to
address us and who promises to return with full power and majesty.
In Christ’s Love,
Fr. Gerry+
