Welcome to Advent

 So here it is the new liturgical year and the first Sunday of Advent. So what does this all mean? Advent how do we handle it does it mean only 22 more days of shopping until Christmas? Get my suit cleaned for my annual Christmas appearance at church? Maybe throw in a couple of more Sunday masses to pretend we are doing the correct thing?
 To me it is a very serious time to reflect about the coming of Christ. A time for one to reassess where ones relationship is with Jesus and God. Time to clean house so to speak.
 Certainly for many of us Advent is nothing more than getting into the 2 minute drill to make sure we are ready for Christmas but many of us are only looking for the commercial meaning that the secular world has pushed upon us.
 It is interesting to read and see what a very important time this truly is for Catholics filled with reflection and prayer in preparation of our Lord's arrival. Family time to get closer and show your true love to God, a time to come clean if you will very much like Lent.
 It appears thanks to the commercialization of Christmas or the dismantling of Christmas here in North America to a Happy Holiday season that the true message is missed.
 For me and not really grasping why it has been a very hard year spiritually but I trudge on knowing that I have to keep that direction or I will lose myself and this Advent it will be a time of turning up the heat so to speak in getting more understanding and assembling an action plan to slowly chip away at the problems within me and immerse myself more into the true meaning of the season.
 There are many times when I worry where I am with the Lord but many times in reflecting I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. I truly almost detest the Christmas season. The crowds like aimless sheep pushing and shoving hurriedly through the stores and malls getting the right toy, piece of jewelry or that must have new super duper large screen TV or I Pad all the while missing the coming of Christ and what he truly means to the world.
 It is hard many a times you wonder if the monks and hermits from centuries ago had it right by closing themselves away from the world.
 So this Advent when you light the candle Thank God that you still care enough about God and Jesus to turn away from our secular Holiday and shopping season and reflect on the relationship you have within your family and with God. I know that is what I plan to do! God Bless and thanks for listening.