Franciscan Advice for Entering Advent

/ Tom Delaney, O.F.S.

(photo: Geheimnis der Weihnacht, Turris Davidica, 2014)

Today is the day of Advent, are you ready? Are you wondering what there is to be ready for?

Advent is an important liturgical season because it does two things for us: it memorializes, and it invites. Let’s take a closer look at how Advent each of these and receive some good Franciscan advice on entering into the Advent season.

Advent is a Memorial

As a memorial, Advent is a monthlong occasion to remember the time before the birth of Jesus, the promised messiah. We take away the separation of time and participate in those years of longing and desire for salvation and the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a savior. this opens the door for us to consider our own present longing and desire for salvation within our own lives, and anticipation of a renewed world with the appearance of Jesus Christ.

Advent is an Invitation

As an invitation, Advent (from Latin ad + venire, to arrive) calls us to preparation in our hearts so as to be ready to receive Jesus Christ when he comes to us in our own lives. In this way, we’re not just remembering the historical appearance of Jesus as savior but also recognizing that Jesus Christ is always coming to us, ceaselessly wanting to arrive in our hearts. Advent invites us to experience the arrival of Jesus Christ in our own time, in our own life, and in our own heart.

When you know a guest is coming, you prepare! You check the pantry, you clean your house, you make sure there is the best room possible for your guest. Spiritually speaking. you do much the same. You make sure you are stocking up on spiritual nourishment, cleaning up your life and getting rid of mental and spiritual clutter and wasted space, and making space in our mind and heart for the arrival of Jesus Christ as savior.

Franciscan Advent Advice

Franciscan priest and missionary Fr. Luke Gregory (OFM) had his advice for entering into the Advent season recently published by Vatican News. Here is my paraphrased list of his main points about the connections of Advent to forgiveness and reconciliation, and our primary tasks in entering into the Advent season:

  • Advent is a time to consider your desires for reconciliation and peace within a fractured world.
  • The spirit of Advent is “the urgent longing for Christ’s presence, the deep desire for reconciliation, and the committed search for peace.”
  • Reconciliation is restoration of your broken relationships —
    • between humanity and divinity;
    • among individuals; and
    • within communities.
  • In practical terms, reconciliation requires you to invite and listen to someone else’s perspective and have an eased dialogue with that someone else.
  • Reconciliation is choosing empathy over apathy, and forgiveness over bitterness.
  • Advent is a journey of reconciliation —
    • Advent invites you to engage in acts of kindness and outreach, embodying the love and grace you receive through Christ, in our own journey of reconciliation.
    • The coming of the Son of Man is not solely an event to await; it is a transformative journey that you actively participate in each day, as you work toward a world that mirrors the love and grace of Christ.
  • Jesus’ gospel proclamation, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God,” not only encourages you to pursue external peace, but also invites you to a deeper internal serenity that reflects our relationship with God.
  • During Advent, consider how you can contribute to the peace of Christ in our own lives, especially in simple acts that promote kindness in your everyday interactions.
  • During Advent, you are called to remember that Christ embodies peace and reconciliation —
    • Advent not only prepares your heart for the coming of Christ but also invites you to embody His spirit of reconciliation and peace.
    • Each gesture of peace you make mirrors Christ’s divine nature and helps to further His mission on earth.
  • Advent gives us a sense of urgency and readiness to confront our own divisions and biases, and then to cultivate a heart that seeks righteousness, understanding, and unity.
  • Hope is a practice rooted in action and intention; in every prayer we offer, every hand we extend in friendship, and every act of mercy, we are ushering in the reign of “God amongst us.”
  • Through our actions and empathy, you will be striving for a world where people can coexist as brothers and sisters, and that honors the true meaning of Christ’s birth and His continued presence amongst us.

Please share these words with someone who needs them today.

This text is an original work of its author Tom Delaney and was entirely composed without the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

If your parish or faith community is seeking a deeper experience of forgiveness, healing, mercy, and spiritual renewal, Live and Forgive is here to help. To begin the conversation, email Live and Forgive presenter and facilitator Tom Delaney at tom@liveandforgive.com — he will be glad to connect with you for a conversation. Please type in your email and click “Subscribe” below to stay connected and get Live and Forgive articles delivered to you.

Take your learning deeper! Enter the term or word for any idea or thing you saw in this article that you want to know more about, and you will get a list of other articles that also talk about that idea or thing!

Leave a comment