This weekend marks the beginning of the New Church Year as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. Notice the change in color of the vestments, banner, and altar cloth as we move from Ordinary Time (green) to Advent (purple). Advent is a time of waiting for Christ, allowing him to be reborn in our lives. It is also a time for renewing our lives by reflecting on and experiencing the several comings (advents) of Christ into our lives. Besides his first coming at his birth, Jesus comes to our lives through the sacraments, through the Word of God (Scriptures), through the worshipping community, through the people and opportunities we experience each day, and, finally, He will come at the time of the Second Coming to judge the world. In today’s Holy Gospel, Jesus prophesies the signs that will accompany hissecond coming and encourages us to be expectant, optimistic, vigilant and well-prepared: He says, “When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” Advent is a time for us to make this preparation by acknowledging and being sorry for our sins, by renewing our lives through prayer and penance, and by sharing our blessings with others. Advent also provides an opportunity for us to check on what needs to be put right in our lives, to see how we have failed, and to assess the ways in which we can do better. Let us remember the words of Alexander Pope: ‘What does it profit me if Jesus is reborn in thousands of cribs all over the world and not reborn in my heart?” THIS is the “reason for the season”…that Jesus be reborn in our hearts and lives during this season of Advent and every day of our lives. How? Simply in our love, kindness, mercy and forgiveness. When we prepare for the Lord by caring daily for one another then we will receive hope, peace, love, and joy in return. THEN we will know that when the King, our Lord Jesus, “returns on the clouds of glory,” we will be ready for Him. A woman was in the mall doing her Christmas shopping. She was tired of walking through every aisle of every store to find just the right present. She was stressed out by the mounting debt on her credit card. She was tired of fighting the crowds and standing in lines for the registers. Her hands were full and when the elevator door opened, it was full. “Great!” she muttered and the occupants of the elevator, feeling her pain, graciously tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load. As the doors closed she blurted out, “I think whoever came up with this Christmas junk ought to be found, strung up and shot!” A few others shook their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from somewhere in the back of the elevator came a single voice that said, “Don’t worry. They already crucified him.” Gospel Homework for Advent: Keep Christ in Christmas.