You’ve seen the decorations on sale in stores since September. You’ve been hearing carols on the radio since October. You’ve seen the wreaths and the lights adorning homes since November. But it’s finally the time when all of that preparation is completely appropriate: the infant Jesus is coming! It’s the Advent season, and most people are busy readying their homes to accept guests and visitors. While we’re busy preparing our homes, do we remember to prepare our hearts? Amid the flurry of Christmas preparations, are we looking for practical ways to observe the holiness of the season in our everyday lives?
There are many ways we can personally welcome Jesus into the manger of our hearts, be filled with His love and mercy, and to share this joy with others. Dynamic Catholic is offering an Advent reflection called “Best Advent Ever” which highlights how we can use the spiritual and corporal works of mercy to help transform our relationships, work, and ability to experience life. These works of mercy are concrete ways to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of those we encounter on a daily basis, such as feeding the hungry, comforting the afflicted, or ransoming the captive. By adopting some new techniques to be more generous with our talents, our money, our time, and our gifts, we can be more generous with our selves, our compassion, our love. Sarah Swafford says, “The very act of loving is an act of self-donation, of giving ourselves to another.”
As we prepare to welcome the infant Jesus into our world at Christmas, let us not forget that we can share His love to others this month in a truly special way! Go out and share the gospel of love by serving at your local women’s resource center, gifting a financial donation to a pregnancy resource center, or offering prayers of patience, hope, and faith for the women, children, and families who need to feel the love of Christ this Christmas. You never know how God will work through you this month!
If you are interested in subscribing to the “Best Advent Ever,” visit this page.
