In the quiet sanctity of Nazareth, the Holy Family exemplifies beauty through humility and devotion, with Mary shining as the epitome of grace and purity. Her life with Joseph, marked by a simple home and mutual reverence reveals a divine harmony that inspires Christians worldwide. This familial splendor links directly to Advent, a season rooted in ancient traditions of preparation for Christ’s birth.
Advent, from the Latin “adventus” meaning “coming,” traces its history to early Christian practices in the West, evolving from a rigorous “second Lent” of fasting—spanning 40 days with three weekly fasts decreed by figures like St. Perpetuus in the fifth century—to the modern four-week observance by the ninth century. For Christians, this time is vital for spiritual renewal, fostering gratitude for Jesus’ sufferings—as St. Alphonsus would describe began in Mary’s womb—and binding souls to divine love amid worldly distractions.
The fourth Sunday of Advent, known as “Rorate,” intensifies this anticipation as the final call to devotion, echoing John the Baptist’s cry in the desert: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight his paths.”
St. Bernard eloquently stated, “In the first coming, He comes in the flesh and in weakness; in the second, He comes in spirit and in power; in the third, He comes in glory and in majesty,” encapsulating Advent’s profound call to preparation for the coming of the Savior. As Christmas nears, Advent invites believers to emulate Mary’s humility, transforming waiting into wondrous union with the divine.
Now if Conservatives would actually follow the words and deeds of Jesus, not holding my breath on that one.
Verse
Let the one hears (the Savior) say, “Come”
And let the one who is thirsty Come
Behold! the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End
In Him we will never, never thirst again
Chorus
HaRuach v’hakala omrim bo
HaRuach v’hakala omrim bo
Spirit and the Bride say come
Haruach v’hakala omrim bo
Haruach v’hakala omrim bo
Refrain
Bo-o-o, bo-o-o-, bo-o-o, na bo-o-o
Come, come, come please come
AMEN!
Do you RINO? I’m a conservative Christian, but a social libertarian. I’m also a sinner and failure at a most things I try to do “right”. My ego gets me in trouble. That’s why I need Jesus and his saving GRACE. I wrote the word grace in bold so you’d hopefully grasp the meaning of that word during this celebration of the life of one who can live within us perfectly if we ask him to. Even when I fail, I’m picked up, dusted off and loved by my lord Jesus. He still loves you.
We can’t earn his love. We can only accept it as the free gift it is and have FAITH in its truth. Don’t expect perfection from any other human. It’s a trap doomed to failure. Merry Christmas and may God’s grace fill you and keep you forever.
I don’t expect perfection, but I do expect those who espouse Jesus as their savior to try at least to emulate his words, and no, putting Immigrants in holding facilities, degrading whole populations of certain nationalities, being an apologist for a twice divorced buddy of Epstein’s, etc, I could go on forever with how many of Jesus’s followers in this country are the absolute opposite of what he spoke and the deeds he did. I truly believe that if Jesus came back today many of his followers would turn him in to
ICE. Make all the excuses you want, you may think that as long as you say you love Jesus you are good, I doubt that, but that’s between you and him. Merry Christmas.
FreedomAK. Freedom to me is relying totally on myself. That being impossible, i depend on others, stores, services, government to provide what I want and need. In one way or another, I pay for what I get – taxes puts out a house fire, Safeway sells me green grapes in February, my pals invite me over for a Christmas afternoon.
When you write, “Even when I fail, I’m picked up, dusted off”. Isn’t that a recognition that you aren’t quite free, or you are free but with an asterisk?
Rereading, I’m jumping on the notion of freedom that conservatives champion and hold sacred that must be maximized. It’s a compromise: I give you money, you douse my house fire. Maybe I missed the point. Been a long day. Merry Christmas to you!