Heavenly Father, as we light the first candle on our Advent wreath, we begin our spiritual preparations for the coming Feast of the celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus. We recall the words of the Old Testament Prophet Jeremiah that You will raise up in the family of King David a just shoot who will do what is right and just in the land. St. Luke tells us that at the end of time we will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. Knowing these prophecies, we now see their fulfillment in the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. Help us to be strong in our faith in Jesus through the words of Jeremiah and Luke. May our preparations for this great Feast reflect the message that Jesus brought us as recorded in the New Testament. May we, in our lives during these four weeks of Advent, show our willingness to participate in God’s plan of Redemption. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen!
Fr. Richard Kennedy, MSC