Editorial

Make this Advent a time of joyful anticipation

“Advent is a journey toward Jerusalem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.” —Pope Francis

Pope Francis shared the above words in December of 2013 during his first year as our universal shepherd.

A decade later, they still ring true as we continue our Advent journey in preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ during the next two-plus weeks.

As many of us heard in homilies, read in parish bulletins and learned through other communications in recent weeks, this year’s season of Advent is the shortest it can possibly be—beginning on Sunday, Dec. 3, and ending on the fourth Sunday of Advent, which this year falls on Dec. 24. A few hours later on that day, parishes around the world will celebrate vigil Masses marking the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Despite the abbreviated calendar, we should not make this Advent season—which begins another liturgical year—any less important than we have of Advents in years past.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor’s birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ ” (#524, Jn 3:30).

Preparing our hearts for Advent gets harder each year. So many in our secular society—including many retailers—have Christmas themes and gifts front and center in their stores and on their websites as soon as Halloween ends. And some of those same retailers advertise “Christmas in July” several months before December. It’s no wonder it gets more and more challenging to make Advent a time of anticipation and preparation.

Our faith calls us to avoid the holiday chaos and keep the birth of our Savior in our hearts and minds during Advent. We must not let a secularistic mentality shift our focus from Christ.

As we read in the first Sunday of Advent’s Gospel reading (Mk 13:33-37), Jesus tells his disciples to be vigilant. And as we are reminded throughout Advent, it is a great liturgical season of vigilance, of waiting and watching.

If you haven’t decided on a firm plan for the next few weeks, spiritual reading could be a wonderful practice to add to your daily Advent activities. Reflecting on the day’s readings is a great option because the Advent readings call us to be alert and ready, not weighed down and distracted by the cares of the world.

Why not try to include attending Mass beyond Sunday—possibly even daily—during this liturgical season?

Adding eucharistic adoration to your Advent calendar might be another practice worth considering. Keeping vigil before the Blessed Sacrament is another way to strengthen your relationship with our Lord, whose first coming we celebrate at Christmas and whose glorious second coming Advent helps us prepare for.

Our Advent practices could also include making time to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. As you’ll read on page 7 of this week’s issue of The Criterion, the opportunities to go to confession are plentiful throughout parishes in central and southern Indiana. Clip the schedule out, or visit our Advent website at

www.archindy.org/advent if you’d like the most up-to-date schedule.

The Holy Family and their plight should come to your heart during this liturgical season. Why not give God a clean heart during Advent? Examine the state of your soul and cleanse yourselves of any wounds through confession. No matter how long it has been since your last confession, you’ll feel much better afterward. Be healed as you prepare for the birth of Christ.

The graces of Advent will give us a readiness to welcome the Christ Child.

As St. Mark shared, be vigilant. Let these next few weeks be a time of joyful expectation. Be on the watch as we approach the Nativity of Our Lord.

—Mike Krokos