tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62440968201568558702024-02-20T03:57:48.722-08:00Mysterium FideiWe proclaim your death,O Lord,and profess your Resurrection until you come again.Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-72449831533992234662012-01-15T02:33:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.600-07:00Notice: New Blog Please note that Mysterium Fidei is offically been closed and that I am now blogging at <br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://priestinthemaking.com/"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2qz2gy9wp0/TxmktGK9ksI/AAAAAAAABiU/o7s3Z4S2cdA/s400/Priest+in+the+Making+Logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />I have blogged here at this domain since my High School days. But at last, may God be glorified! </div>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-65525644786354271162011-12-20T19:03:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.609-07:00To Keep Vigil is to Keep Faithful: the Divine Imperative<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvBK8BsuxDw/TvJW7NzgCiI/AAAAAAAABiI/MosqjhQScU0/s1600/Matins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvBK8BsuxDw/TvJW7NzgCiI/AAAAAAAABiI/MosqjhQScU0/s320/Matins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Lord Jesus gave us a Divine Imperative</span><i style="line-height: 115%;">: Watch! Wait! You know not the hour</i><span style="line-height: 115%;">. And<br />this is exactly what we do when we keep vigil. It is an ancient Christian practice which has been lost in the contemporary Church. Yet it is so vital for the life of Christian culture. The monastery always stood as a witness to the world of men and women dedicated keeping vigil<br />against the devil, the flesh and the world. It stood as an exhortation to praying unceasingly. Christians saw the </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">monastery</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> and were reminded of their sacred duty to pray constantly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The saints were masters of keeping vigil. We can look to<br />the Desert Fathers like St. Anthony and the scholastics like St. Thomas<br />Aquinas. Then of course there is St. John of the Cross. All of these of course<br />are modeled after the Divine Master Himself who <i>went alone in the early morning to pray</i>. (cf. Mark 1:35) <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church has retained the<br />custom of keeping vigil. That is the original nature of the Office of Readings,<br />traditionally called <i>Matins</i>. In fact<i> the General Instructions of the Liturgy of<br />the Hours</i> maintains this tradition stating,<i> praise is therefore due to all who maintain the character of the Office of Readings as a night office</i>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Instruction goes on to state the<i> it was customary to begin certain solemnities with a vigil. Among these solemnities Christmas and Pentecost are </i></span><i><span style="line-height: 18px;">preeminent</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">. </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>This custom should be maintained and fostered according to the particular usage of each Church. </i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">There is a custom that myself<br />and many of my brother seminarians have developed. On the eve of all Sundays<br />and feasts we gather around 9 or 10 in the evening to pray Office of Readings,<br />those keeping the tradition of keeping vigil. This is a spiritual practice I<br />highly encourage. In fact the canticle that is prayed in the extended vigil in<br />the Office of Readings is from the Prophet Isaiah. There the prophet says, <i>My souls yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you. </i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">As we enter into the Christmas season there are many feasts<br />and opportunities to consider taking up this wonderful custom. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><ul><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Feast of St. Stephen, the First Martyr</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Feast of St. John the Evangelist</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Epiphany</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Feast of the Baptism of the Lord </span></li><br /></ul><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Church maintains the practice of observing an Octave<br />for both Easter and Christmas. And Octave is a series of 8 days starting on the<br />feast in which the days following are treated as the feast itself. So the<br />Church actually celebrates 8 days of Christmas. As she does 8 days of Easter.<br />It is way of joyfully entering into the feast celebrated. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Vigils are made up of:</span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><ul><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">A Hymn</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">3 Psalms</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">2 Readings (Biblical and Patristic)</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Holy Gospel</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Hymn, <i>Te Deum</i></span></li><br /><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Prayer</span></li><br /></ul><br /><div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ddvyCm7LcpiwWSMryxhdePBY6vy6mRQQFqRHVhi_xLM/edit">Here is a copy of a booklet I made for Vigils for Christmas.</a></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The season is also a great time to take walks under the<br />stars. Particularly keeping in mind Bishop Conley’s reflection <i><a href="http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/7345">To Wonder at the Stars</a></i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">May Christ who is the true<br />light shine brightly in our hearts and give us peace, joy and love as we await in vigil for His coming. Amen. </span>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-2465763830686534902011-12-20T14:50:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.618-07:00Bishop Conley: the Star that Guides the Way<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img height="400" src="http://www.yarraimages.com/images/gardengods/The-Christmas-Star.jpg" width="266" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Bishop Conley wrote another stellar reflection, and I do mean stellar! As we approach Christmas it is a good practice to star gaze. Yes we have stars on our Christmas trees and all over our houses. But there is nothing like looking up at the heavens on a chilled evening. And to think, these stars that gaze down up on us also gazed down upon<i> the Word made flesh, the God-Man,</i> Jesus Christ. They are a reminder of God's watching over us, His power and His love. The heavens are telling the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1) The question is are we listening to the heavens?</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="http://www.archden.org/repository/Image/DCR/BConley.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Christ Jesus, our King, was announced to all<br />creation by a star rising in the eastern sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Magi saw it—they had been waiting and watching.<br />Finally they saw the announcement that God was with us—Emmanuel—incarnate in<br />the person of Jesus Christ.</span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I sometimes wonder why the Magi were watching the<br />sky in the first place. What were they watching for? I would like to believe<br />that the Magi watched the sky for the same reason I do—to stand in awe at the<br />splendor and majesty of our God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The sky in Colorado is broad and clear. Even in the<br />heart of Denver, where I live, I can glance out the window at an incredible<br />expanse of sky and mountains and stars. Recently I was awestruck with the<br />beauty of the full moon over Denver. In our archdiocese, the splendor of God’s<br />creativity, love and goodness is everywhere for us to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“To look up at the stars,” said the ancient<br />philosophers, “is to become lovers of wisdom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We seem to spend time during Christmas “beholding<br />the stars.” We’re more aware of God’s love for his people. We rejoice together<br />at the Incarnation. For children especially, but for all of us really,<br />Christmas is a time of wonder, of awe and of joyful curiosity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We ought to cultivate a sense of wonder all the<br />time, not just this time of the year. In our families, we should seek a sense<br />of awe about the universe. By reading<br />Scripture together, by praying together and by taking time to look up at the<br />stars, God will transform us into lovers of wisdom. And as we become truly<br />wise, like the Magi, we shall see more clearly the work of God in the world<br />around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is easy to disregard the miraculous. We’re often<br />too busy to recognize miracles. When we do encounter miracles, our<br />hyper-rationality encourages us to find some other explanation for God’s work<br />in our lives. We lose sight of the miracle of our family’s love. We forget the<br />ways we have been transformed by God’s grace throughout our lives. We take for<br />granted the miracle of the Eucharist—that Christ becomes present to us in the<br />form of bread and wine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At Christmas, we seem to suspend our<br />hyper-rationality for a while. There is a collective hope that the miraculous<br />will somehow break through. We talk about “Christmas miracles” for a<br />reason—Christmas is a miracle, and perhaps by grace, we’re more disposed at<br />Christmas to see the presence of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This Christmas let’s commit to live our lives with a<br />greater sense of wonder. After the Nativity set and the tree and the lights<br />have all gone away—hopefully not until the solemnity of Epiphany, the 12th day<br />of Christmas—let’s keep looking for the Christ Child. Let’s keep looking to the<br />stars. Let’s be in awe at the miracle of God’s great love for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I pray the Lord will bless your families this<br />Christmas. I will remember each of you<br />in my prayers and in the Mass on Christmas Day. I pray you will encounter Jesus<br />Christ, and come to know his love. I<br />leave you with my blessing and with a Christmas poem, “Moonless darkness stands<br />between,” by Father Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.:<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Darkness stands between.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Past, the Past, no more be seen!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>But the Bethlehem-star may lead me<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>To the sight of Him Who freed me<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>From the self that I have been.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy;<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly;<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Now beginning, and alway:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Now begin, on Christmas day.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-71351568818915289152011-12-19T15:33:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.627-07:00Pope: Be Ready to Respond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9zvVqjjvjDo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Pope Benedict gave us something else to reflect on as we approach Christmas:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><br />The liturgical texts for this <a href="http://www.vatican.va/liturgical_year/advent/2011/index_en.html">Season of Advent</a> renew the invitation to us to live in expectation of Jesus and not to stop looking forward to his coming so as to keep ourselves open and ready to encounter him. Heartfelt watchfulness, which Christians are always called to practise in their daily life, characterizes in particular this season in which we prepare joyfully for the mystery of Christmas (cf.<i>Preface of Advent </i>II). </blockquote><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><br />The external environment proposes the usual commercial messages, although perhaps to a lesser degree because of the economic crisis. Christians are asked to live Advent without allowing themselves be distracted by the bright lights but knowing how to give things their proper value and how to fix their inner gaze on Christ. Indeed if we persevere in “watching in prayer, our hearts filled with wonder and praise” (<i>ibid</i>.), our eyes will be able to recognize in him the true light of the world that comes to dispel our gloom.</blockquote>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-40166604644454415952011-12-13T08:13:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.634-07:00Chaput: Time, Advent, Roman Missal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QtpczzbT1uY/Tuf5kNkHduI/AAAAAAAABh8/8fOw78MjGg8/s1600/charles-chaput-91a891461dfb5ab6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QtpczzbT1uY/Tuf5kNkHduI/AAAAAAAABh8/8fOw78MjGg8/s400/charles-chaput-91a891461dfb5ab6.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />His Excellency Charles J. Chaput</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Archbishop of Philadelphia's</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Remarks on Third Edition of Roman Missal and the Season of Advent. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Click <a href="http://archphila.org/archbishop-chaput/homilies/mp3/20111127_sunday_mass.mp3">here</a>. </div><br /><br />Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-89134957096916951902011-12-01T09:23:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.642-07:00Wait and Watch! You Know Not the Hour....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NU3G1WE8Zto/TteVIar36HI/AAAAAAAABh0/-CzUFt-VnZM/s1600/Colorado+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NU3G1WE8Zto/TteVIar36HI/AAAAAAAABh0/-CzUFt-VnZM/s400/Colorado+Snow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"Keep watch; when the body is asleep nature takes control of us, and what is done is not done by our will but by force, by the impulse of nature. When deep listlessness takes possession of the soul, for example, faintheartedness or melancholy, the enemy overpowers it and makes it do what it does not will. The force of nature, the enemy of the soul, is in control.<br /><br /><br /><br />When the Lord commanded us to be vigilant, he meant vigilance in both parts of man: in the body, against the tendency to sleep; in the soul, against lethargy and timidity."<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><br />-Saint Ephrem</div>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244096820156855870.post-6525901861759137512011-11-30T08:37:00.000-08:002013-03-16T06:38:33.651-07:00Wait...It's only the Second Week of Advent!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWsBUMecbPQ/Ttb3moDBoLI/AAAAAAAABhs/O6p0CaNh-a8/s1600/SecondComing2050-06232010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tWsBUMecbPQ/Ttb3moDBoLI/AAAAAAAABhs/O6p0CaNh-a8/s400/SecondComing2050-06232010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's already the Second Week of Advent! That's right, we are 1/4th of the way done and well on our way to the celebration of Christmas! But, <strong>WAIT</strong>, were not quite there yet!<br /><br /><br /><br />And yes, that is the correct word: <strong>WAIT!</strong><br /><br /><br /><br />Advent is a time of waiting. Yes, we wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We wait to open our Christmas presents on the morning of December 25th. We also wait for those grand family gatherings with loved ones who have traveled great distance to be reunited for that short encounter. You see, we can't escape waiting. The question is, are we internalizing? Are we training our spiritual senses to wait, to hunger and desire more for the coming of Jesus?<br /><br /><br /><br />You see, when the Church celebrates Advent, she does not simply focus on the birth of Jesus when He came 2,000 years ago in the cave in Bethlehem. The Church also calls us to reflect and prepare for the great Second Coming of Jesus was as Christians should be longing for everyday. That is the Mystery of Faith, right? <em>We proclaim your death O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, <strong>until you again!</strong></em> <br /><br /><br /><br />So as we enter the Second Week of Advent, I invite you to meditate on Jesus. Learn to desire Him more and more. Cultivate a longing in your heart for His Second Coming. You see, as Christians we don't have to fear nuclear war or things of that sort. Though we do work of peace and justice, our hope and confidence is in Jesus, and we believe He will come again, in His glory!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Maranatha!</em> Come Lord Jesus, <strong>come!</strong>Dolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06153398221184495207noreply@blogger.com