Happy Advent!

Today the Church celebrates the First Sunday of Advent, thus beginning a new liturgical year. At Mass today, Fr. Felino offered an inspiring homily that invited us to imagine ourselves in God's waiting room. In God's waiting room, many of us are usually doing the following:

1. Questioning
2. Complaining
3. Wishful thinking

During our time in God's waiting room, we are presented with many challenges: death of a loved one, a serious illness, unemployment, a difficult move across country, or the loss of someone who means a great deal to you, moving across country. Instead of turning to God in our faith, we ask the question "why?" I've done it myself: Why did my father unexpectedly die when I was only 14 years old? (and I wasn't looking for the answer of cardiac arrest!) Why was my mother diagnosed with kidney disease? There is also a lot of complaining that goes on in God's waiting room. Simply sitting in traffic can change our attitude or mood, or even waiting in line to buy tickets to see "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" or to see the Gingerbread Village display at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle can get people out of the "holiday spirit." And how many times do we indulge in wishful thinking? We ask ourselves, "If only I had a better house or a new car?" or "I wish I had an Xbox like all my other friends."

We are all challenged to live in a spirit of joyful hope. Whatever we do, we must do in love. There are many opportunities to rejuvenate our spirit in this Advent season so that we may radiate Christ to others, whether it be participating in Las Mananitas to Our Lady of Guadalupe, praying a novena for the Immaculate Conception, helping the parish decorate and prepare for Christmas, giving items to the Church's food bank or baby basinet for pregnancy agencies or right to life groups, or participating in a local Simbang Gabi celebrations. Above all, the most important way we can live in a spirit of peace is to go to Confession! Parishes offer penance services in the first few weeks of Advent that provide an opportunity for us to make a confession in order to prepare for the coming of our Lord.

Advent is a time to reevaluate what we are doing in God's waiting room. Consider it a kind of new liturgical years resolution. How will we continue to strengthen our soul in order to live out Emmanuel, God with us in today's world to others? We are called to shine forth God's love to others.