Dear Friends in Christ,
The large stained-glass window behind our church altar depicts today’s Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. At the center of the window is Jesus Christ, and gathered around him are the saints and angels. Jesus Christ is the center of everything. He is at the center of time and at the center of meaning. Without him, everything falls apart. But through him, and with him, and in him, all things hold together.
The saints who are depicted in that window seem to be held in place by the power of Christ’s Presence. He draws them into communion with himself and sustains them in that communion. Without Christ, we flail, falter, and fall apart. Christ is the Savior of the World. He saves us from living a life of meaninglessness. He saves us from sin and eternal death. He saves us for eternal life and beatitude. He reaches into the darkness and confusion of life and rescues us.
Next week, we begin the beautiful season of Advent. It comes and goes so quickly every year, but Advent offers us an opportunity to make a spiritual retreat. Advent affords us the opportunity to listen to the deepest desires of our heart. There is a longing in each one of us for our life to be held together, to be saved, to belong, and to be loved. Advent affords us the time to give expression to these deep longings of our heart. To pine for Christ, to pine for the one who holds all things together.
In Advent, the Church’s liturgy expresses each day the longing of all time and history for Christ. It expresses the longing of every human heart. If the last Sunday of the liturgical year celebrates Christ as the King, the beginning of the new liturgical year (i.e. Advent) teaches us to acknowledge our deep need for the King. It teaches us to beg for his presence in our life. In Advent, we go out to meet the King who is coming into the world.
I encourage you to live this privileged season well. One way to do this is to attend daily Mass during Advent. If you cannot attend daily Mass, spending time reflecting on the Daily Readings for Mass is definitely a spiritually fruitful exercise. I am a big fan of “Magnificat,” a monthly periodical that has all of the prayers and readings for each day during the month and a daily reflection. Spending time each day in some moments of quiet prayer, especially fed by the Word will make for an extraordinary Advent.
Going to confession during Advent should be a priority for all of us. We will add additional times for confessions towards the end of Advent.
As we stand at the threshold of this amazing season of Advent, I look forward to walking with all of you to Bethlehem. I look forward to going with you to meet the One who is born for us and the one who saves us; Christ, our King.
Your Brother in Christ,
Fr. David Barnes