Advent Blog

In our society, and in many others, lighted candles are used when one or more of three things are present: joy, devotion and love. We light candles at birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, and, of course, at Mass each week.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, the “peace sign” seemed to be everywhere. It appeared on T-shirts, jewelry, flags. It was even painted on walls and stitched onto blue jeans. It’s a simple design – a circle divided by lines forming a kind of broken cross. It became a symbol of protest, hope and unity. The sign made a comeback in the 1990s, but few people today know its true origin or intended meaning.

One phrase we often hear during the Christmas season is, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Interestingly, this line doesn’t appear in any of the Gospels, but St. Paul tells us that Jesus Himself taught this idea.

Horatio Alger was an author known for his rags-to-riches tales. He wrote stories about how the underdog rises to success through goodwill, hard work and determination. People have always been drawn to these kinds of stories: when the misfit becomes the star quarterback on the football team, or when the understudy takes the stage and steals the show.

Laced throughout the bible, there is kind of a Cinderella theme, highlighting how God often works through many lowly, despised, and unlikely individuals.

As we enter the Third Week of Advent, it’s impossible to ignore how Christmas has been commercialized and sanitized.

Christmas holds a power that mere logic cannot explain; it is not a human invention. No one gathered and said, “Let’s create a holiday for everyone to be nicer to each other.”

It’s the first week of Advent, and as Christians, we reflect on why we celebrate the birth of Christ and prepare for Christmas. Why do we make so much of this celebration?