Prepare the Way: The Importance of the Advent Season
Advent is a time of interior renewal where we focus our gaze upon Christ.
Ms. Elizabeth Rizzo reflects on we should honor Mary, the mother of God, as we prepare to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
As the days grow shorter and the weather finally drops below 80 degrees, it becomes clear that the seasons have finally changed here in New Orleans. But it is not just weather that has turned a page, the liturgical calendar has also moved into the sacred season of Advent. This time of anticipation and preparation invites us to reflect on the coming of Christ—both as the infant born in Bethlehem and as the triumphant King who will come again.
Advent, a word derived from the Latin adventus meaning "coming," emphasizes readiness and hope. In Luke’s Gospel, John the Baptist’s call to "prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Luke 3:4) is at the heart of Advent. We are asked to examine our lives, seek repentance, and prepare our hearts to receive the Christ at Christmas.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, writes that Advent "is the time of promise, which points to the fulfillment that is Christ." He emphasizes that the Incarnation—the Word made flesh—is the ultimate revelation of God’s love and a transformative moment in human history. Mary’s "yes" at the Annunciation is the model for all of us at Advent. Her profound faith and readiness to welcome Christ into her life is the example we should all strive for during Advent.
Mr. Jeff Miraflor, S.J., reflects on the Advent season and what it means to, “prepare the way of the Lord.”
On Monday, December 9th, Jesuit will celebrate our patronal feast day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This solemnity celebrates the Catholic doctrine that Mary, from the first moment of her conception, was preserved free from original sin by a singular grace and privilege of God in anticipation of her role as the Mother of the Jesus. This belief, formally declared as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854, underscores Mary’s unique role in salvation history and her exemplary holiness. For this special occasion, Blue Jays are reminded to wear a coat and tie for the occasion.
Advent is a time of interior renewal and turning on gaze to Christ. Pope Benedict reminds of this fact, "Advent calls us to awaken from the sleep of mediocrity and to live with an awareness of the ultimate truths of life." This season, let us all strive to "prepare the way" in our hearts so that we might be ready to receive Christ at Christmas.