Superintendent's Advent 2022 Blog

O come, O come Emmanuel!

As we near the beginning of Advent, many families are now starting to decorate their homes for Christmas and the arrival of the Christ Child. Advent is a period of time, where Christians anxiously await the arrival of Jesus. During this time, traditions such as Christmas trees, Christmas Creche, Advent Wreaths and special foods are prepared. Our churches are adorned in purple or violet as are the vestments our clergy wear. Finally, our schools and students are preparing for Christmas and it will be incredibly exciting to watch their Christmas concerts once again!  This preparation however is not limited to our homes, schools and parishes, it also includes our hearts.

We must ready ourselves not only to celebrate the Incarnation, but also to the second coming of Christ. The birth of Jesus is a truly amazing gift to all of us, so we must prepare ourselves spiritually so we can accept this gift. Luke 2:11 tells us that “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Jesus, therefore, is truly the “reason for the season” and we must ask ourselves, are we ready to meet him?  Some ways we can prepare ourselves spiritually are:

• Reading to feed our soul
• Meditate on the miracle of the Incarnation
• Pray daily
• Demonstrate God’s love by helping others
• Focus on the meaning behind the Christmas Carols we sing

We should prepare ourselves for advent to celebrate the birth of Christ, and for his return. Through the act of preparing, we will help keep our focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!