True peace cannot exist without forgiveness and reconciliation. Peace is vital in our hearts and lives, marriages and families, communities and societies, the Church and the world. Indeed, Advent and Christmas cannot be whole if we do not reconcile with God and our brothers and sisters.
In life, there will always be storms, however, with Christ, there is peace, calm, and tranquillity amidst storms. All we have to do is to be still and know that the Lord is in control. Indeed, in our lives journey, there will be powerful storms, that shake us to the foundation of our being. These storms do not only affect us but also everything and everyone around us is constantly shaken by the storms of life. Yet, we need to relax because God is in control.
The Season of Advent is a moment of repentance, reparation and reconciliation with God, ourselves and our brothers and sisters. These are the “3Rs” of the Advent Season. It is a moment of peace that comes from giving and receiving forgiveness from God and others. The theme of our celebration this second Sunday is peace through reconciliation.
LOVE, JOY, PEACE, GRACE AND LIFE The beautiful themes of Christmas are love, joy, peace, grace and life. It reveals to us that: God is love 1 John 4: 8, 16. It is assured of the joy of the Lord…
Honestly, we cannot prepare and celebrate Christmas without reconciliation and peace with God, others and ourselves.
This Sunday, we have the theme of peace through repentance and reconciliation with God, others and oneself in loving preparation for Christ’s birth at Christmas.
What marks the kingship and reign of Christ from every other kingship or reign is peace. The kingship and reign of men have always been one of violence, bloodshed and lack of enduring peace. The British movie “THE GAMES OF THRONES” depicts this horrible reality and the characteristics of the reigns and kingships of men.
The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph reminds us of love, peace, and unity, which are the basics of the Christian family. The Holy Family is a perfect model of family life today in our society. Especially as many have lost the sense of family through governmental and media disorientations. The instrumental tools of Satan destabilized the most fundamental nucleon of the world.
There is no doubt that Christmas is a festive celebration of peace on earth to men and women of goodwill. This is the most beautiful declaration of the angels to the humble shepherds on the night of Christmas. When heaven and the earth were united at the birth of the Saviour and the Prince of Peace. The angels sang beautifully to the whole wide world: Glory to God on High and peace on earth to men (women) of goodwill.
The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe invites us to see Mary as the herald of joy and peace to the human race. The coincidence of celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the 3rd Sunday of Advent is one of Joy. A Sunday is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. The word Gaudete means rejoice.
The most fundamental spiritual reality of Advent is that there is no Christmas without spiritual preparation of our hearts and reconciliation or peace with God or our brothers and sisters. Hence, Advent is a season of grace that God gives us through His Church to prepare us spiritually for the birth of Jesus Christ. This birth is not in the celebrations, traditions, decorations or symbols of Christmas but our hearts. The befitting dwelling place of God in our lives.