Advent is not merely an extension of Christmas but is preparation for Christmas—much like Lent is preparation for Easter. It may be difficult to distance ourselves from the secular world’s extension—and distortion—of Christmas. But when we fully enter into Advent as a time of prayer, we see our lives more clearly as lived in Christ. While the rest of the world has already been celebrating “the holidays” for weeks, the new liturgical season is a reminder for Christians of what Christmas is really about.
Mass Schedule
9:00 am – Traditional Latin
11:00 am – Spanish
1:00 pm – English (St. Nicholas event to follow)
Advent Message from Cardinal Burke
Preparation for Christmas
Advent is upon us. While the rest of the world has already been celebrating “the holidays” for weeks, Advent is a reminder for Christians of what Christmas is really about.
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke reflects that “only when we’ve lived through a period like Advent can we really celebrate Christmas with joy.”
Preparation for Christmas
Advent is not merely an extension of Christmas but is preparation for Christmas—much like Lent is preparation for Easter. It may be difficult to distance ourselves from the secular world’s extension—and distortion—of Christmas. But when we fully enter into Advent as a time of prayer, we see our lives more clearly as lived in Christ.
Birth of Our Lord
“In Advent, we’re preparing to celebrate the great gift of the birth of our Lord, having been conceived originally in the womb of His immaculate mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, nine months earlier,” Cardinal Burke reflects. “Our Lord was born in Bethlehem, and with His birth began the work of our salvation. He came into the world for one purpose, and that was ultimately to die for us on the Cross, to win for us the forgiveness of our sins, and the divine life to be poured forth into our souls.”
Season of Preparation
While the world tries to spend all of December reveling in worldly happiness, this view of Christmas ultimately leaves us with no lasting joy, no true meaning in our lives. But in keeping Advent as a prayerful season of preparation, we are given a great gift in the Christmas season. It becomes for us a re-living of that moment when Christ our Lord was born in Bethlehem.
What is the reason why we have particular traditions, particular Christmas celebrations? Advent reminds us: Christ is born.
“Christ is born to die for our sins. Christ is born to live with us in the Church and in our minds and hearts,” reflects Cardinal Burke. “Christ is the source of the unity of our family . . . Christ is the source of blessing to our home and our neighborhood, our city, our nation, and the world.”
Full and Lasting Joy
May this Advent season be a blessed time of preparation to remind us of the great mysteries of our Christian life. May we turn to the great saints held up before us during this time: Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint John the Baptist. And may we celebrate Christmas with a full and lasting joy.
The coming of the Christ…
Advent: coming from “ad-venire” in Latin or “to come”
1st Week – Hope
2nd Week – Peace
3rd Week – Joy (Gaudete Sunday)
4th Week – Love
