LITURGY MATTERS: It's beginning to look a lot like Advent! IMAGE

LITURGY MATTERS: It's beginning to look a lot like Advent!

This time last year I wrote an article that focussed on ‘The Holy Family: Refugees and Immigrants’. This year, we continue to see a broken world in desperate need of healing. This Advent I again encourage everyone to try to recognise Jesus in all the faces of those that you meet and see on media screens, including the stranger, the refugee, the immigrant. As Pope Francis affirmed in 2023 “every human being, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, of any people or religion, every human being is sacred, is precious in the eyes of God, and has the right to live in peace.” [CNA Nov 23].

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The daily news is a barrage of hate, destruction, unforgiveness, retribution, misuse and abuse of power awash with the impact that those actions have on the powerless, the least of God’s people. For many of us who live with relative peace in our lives, it can be hard to appreciate the suffering that others in the world experience. There is much that we can do from our place of privilege. Christmas is a time to show our love for our family, friends and to those who are thirsting to hear about the ultimate gift and birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ. However, before we celebrate Christmas Time (the liturgical season after Advent) we need to ground ourselves in the season of Advent.

As we read in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, we find the heart of what this Advent time should be:

Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, Advent is a period of devout and expectant delight (n. 39)

So, as we journey through this Advent season, and we begin to gather gifts for our families and friends, let us start making purchases that bring a difference in more than one person’s life. Give a gift that gives twice so that at this time of hope, peace, joy and love we can give others the gift of expectant delight.

In your time of preparation please consider shopping ethically and charitably. The following 10 websites offer a different way of shopping or donating that will make a difference.

 

 

 

 

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Category Liturgy Matters
Fiona Duque Image
Fiona Duque

Fiona is the Pastoral Ministries Officer - Worship and Prayer.

Formerly, she was the Ministry Coordinator and Religious Studies Coordinator at St Bede's Catholic College, Chisholm.