First Sunday of Advent

Today begins the brief but RICH Season of Advent. In the Gospel, Jesus exhorts us not to allow our very troubled times and often troubled lives distract us from his enduring presence and his ongoing call for us to bring light into the dark spaces of our society and world. Advent is a time that we stand in solidarity with every person crying out for relief from desperate circumstances; just like God’s people did over 2000 years ago. They needed a Savior, a Messiah.  The needed God’s intervention! Well, look around:  The world needs the same today!  So where do we begin?  There are the obvious ways: Pray more intensely, worship more devoutly, repent more sincerely, treat your neighbor more kindly, and serve others more generously. However, this Advent let us commit to do one more thing.  Let’s go out of our way to be more welcoming to every stranger we meet, whether in church or outside of church. Let’s SHOW people how much God truly loves and cares for them… by actually loving and caring for them!  After all, the Advent Season urges us to make more room for Christ in our hearts.  Let’s do this by making more room FOR OTHERS in our hearts as well!  Let us SHARE the hospitality God has shown us by offering the same with those who could use it the most.