A Regular Joe: December 2019

Friday, December 27, 2019

QUALIFIED EVANGELISTS

In the days before email, Western Union telegrams were the most effective way to convey an urgent message. The messenger’s sole obligation was to carry the message to the person to whom it was addressed. He may not enjoy doing it, especially if the message contained bad news, but he was faithful to deliver it. He dared not stop along the way, open the envelope and change the wording. His duty was to deliver the message. This is the duty of the evangelist. God has given His Word and the evangelist is to be faithful in their duty to deliver the message.

Like the Gospel of John, the first letter of John has a strong eyewitness characteristic to it. The Apostle shares with his readers “what they have heard, seen, looked upon, and touched, what was from the beginning, the Word of life made visible.” (1 Jn 1:1-2)

John goes to greater lengths than perhaps any of the other Gospel writers to convince readers through word and deed that Jesus is the One, and his promises are beyond all telling. He emphatically wants us to know and believe Jesus was truly divine, was truly God made incarnate (human/in-the-flesh), a God who in person walked among us, taught us everything important, what true love is, and then completed the greatest sacrifice ever made on behalf of the human family.

It was love that through John developed by his first hand experiences with Jesus. His calling from his fishing nets, time traveling with and teachings of Jesus. John saw him die and he looked into the empty tomb. This is what drove John to evangelize so tirelessly.

I can hear some of us now speaking in our hearts, “I’m no John” or “I’m not qualified to be and evangelist.” Here’s the qualifications of the first evangelists found in Luke 2:15-20. Unreliable. Untrustworthy. Uneducated. Ceremonially Unclean. The shepherds at the time of Jesus did not have a good reputation. Their status did not even allow them to testify in the court of law. Yet as Jesus lay in a dirty manger, cared for by a teenage mother and an overwhelmed and probably slightly internally conflicted father, it was the shepherds whom God chose to minister to the child and family, then spread what was probably the most important news in history up to that point.

This type of evangelism is just as important today. As baptized Christians it is our duty to evangelize. Today, take some time to contemplate what you’ve seen and heard to spur your belief in and love for Jesus, the Incarnate Word? It’s this faith in and love of Jesus that makes us qualified evangelists.

Monday, December 16, 2019

ARE YOU READY?

[1]“Are you ready?” the instructor asked. I remember the heart racing fear I felt, stepping to the open door of the plane. The sun was bright, the sound of the wind and the engine were loud. My heart was pounding as the tandem instructor said even louder, “Are you ready?” In my mind, the months of waiting, co-worker hype, rock songs, heavy workouts, prayers and mental preparation had all come down to this ONE moment. Was I ready? A hundred questions were racing through my head in an instant. “Would I be able to breathe? Would the parachute open? Will my faith be rewarded, or my fears confirmed? Do I trust God? Am I ready, to meet ... you know ... Him?”

“We’re going on three”, the instructor yelled, … ONE! and we were somersaulting out the door! There was no time to think. I felt a warm sensation; an unexplained rush of love came over me as we were free-falling through the air! My heart filled with joy as I openly embraced and abandoned myself to the experience. The world looked so different from this perspective. There was a calm and peacefulness. As the parachute opened and the wind faded, I looked out over the countryside in awe. I felt safe, secure and strangely loved as if creation itself was smiling at me.

As we touched down and I tumbled forward, the instructor grabbed me by my straps and pulled me up on my feet. I’d forgotten all my earlier worries, doubts, and fears, I breathed in fully and raised my hands in triumph! Marveling in the movement of complete joy, the feeling of freedom.

In contrast, John the Baptist, who lived most of this life outdoors free from confines, now finds himself imprisoned in a cell. He must have felt trapped, with no hope of finding a way out. He had to be wondering if his life’s work had come to nothing. Maybe he was just running out of patience or feeling his hope beginning to fade. So, he sends messengers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?” (Mt 11:3) Now Jesus could have easily responded, “I AM.” Instead, Jesus responds, “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” (Mt 11:4) Will John believe in Jesus through these works? Can we, Jesus’ later disciples, believe in the Jesus who restores God’s creation to wholeness?

Let face it, we’re living in troubling times. Over the last decade we’ve experienced 9/11 and multiple school and mass shootings. Domestic violence, violence against law enforcement officers, and suicide among our youth and military members are on the rise. We seem to be living in fear, wondering when and where the next attack will come. Our patience is worn thin and it seems we get on one another’s nerves more easily. At this depressing moment in history, what does God say in today’s readings?

Isaiah says to those who are frightened: “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication.” (Is 35:4) James tells us we must be patient and steady our hearts, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.[2] Are you ready?

The Gospel is inviting us to ponder whether there are any places of bondage within ourselves, any part of our being that lives with less freedom, less fullness, less wholeness than God intends. I can think of occasions when I’ve struggled within an institutional system or times when I gave away my power. Can you recall seasons when you’ve became so entangled in situations that it just exhausted you?

John challenges us to ask: Whatever our circumstance, how does God call us to live with freedom, with hope, with complete trust in the One who came to proclaim release to the captives? Is there some part of your mind, your spirit, your soul living in confinement? What news of Christ, what word of hope, is God offering in that place of confinement? What is one tiny step that would lead to greater freedom?[3]

Are you ready? In this season of expectation and incarnation, how might God be calling you into places where others live in bondage and captivity, to speak the news of liberation? Especially for those who may have lost a love one and this is their first Christmas without them; those forgotten, left to the fringes of society, those literally imprisoned, or those who wear the seasonal mask but are harboring feelings of unworthiness to approach God’s mercy and love.

When Jesus’ message came back to John, it gave him the hope and courage to face whatever might come. The same message is for us today who continue our preparation to celebrate not just the coming of Christ at Christmas, but fully embracing a call to a life-long vocation to service, to Him who is coming and His children.

Put all your worries, doubts, and fears aside, trust in God who has been and is faithful forever. With this freedom we will be able to lift our hands triumphantly to saying with Isaiah, we “see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” (Is 35:2) Are you ready?

Friday, December 13, 2019

JUDGED A LIGHT

“People judge according to what they see, and they see what they want. Therefore, we end up judging that which we envy or want.” ~Lao Tse. We all do it. Everybody makes value judgments in their daily lives and their relationships. After all it’s a natural need to evaluate and control the unknown.

I recall seeing a statue of John the Baptist in a church. The artist had taken to heart the description of John found in Matthew 3:4, clothing him in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. Locusts were on him and bees buzzed around the beehive at his feet. Ascetically, John was not appealing and he was judged to be possessed by evil spirits.

I’ve also seen a photo of a happy, smiling Jesus that coined the dictum: “Jesus was either going to, at, or coming away from a banquet.” Jesus the banqueter displayed the inclusive quality of God’s kingdom—always for sinners, only to be judged as a glutton.

Many of Jesus’ listeners didn’t want to play as though at a funeral (John’s call to repentance) or at a wedding (Jesus announcing the Kingdom of God is at hand). They judged the teachings of both John and Jesus as outlandishly demanding and dismissed them with fiendish soundbites.

Little is known about St. Lucy, whose memorial we celebrate today, other than she came from the island of Sicily and died in the year 304. There’s proof she was beloved by the early Christians because her name is prayed in the first Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.

Tradition tells us she decided to never marry, to devote her life entirely to prayer and service to the Lord. Her mother tried to arrange for Lucy to marry a pagan man, but Lucy refused and gave away the dowry money to the poor. This generosity sparked the rage of her fiancé. Lucy was judged and sentenced to a brothel to violate her vow of virginity, but the guards who came to take her away were unable to move her. They even tried hitching her to a team of oxen to get her to move to no avail. The guards then heaped bundles of wood around to burn her, but wood wouldn't burn. They finally resorted to their swords, and Lucy met her death.

St. Lucy’s name means “light” or “lucid”. Despite how the world judged John, Jesus, and St. Lucy they remained faithful, a light, to the service of God’s glory. When we are in harmony with ourselves, are satisfied with who we are, and what we have there is no need to judge others. As we continue our Advent preparations, may we be judged a light that glorifies the coming Messiah.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

TAKE MY YOKE

I’m a process guy. I try to observe things from a systematic, organizational, and relationship perspective. As watch the news reports, I am deeply disturbed by how our political leaders, fellow citizens, and even fellow parishioners have chosen to respond to the many challenging issues facing our nation and church. What is there to gain by name calling, mudslinging, violence, and public refusals to dispense sacraments? Somewhere along the lines it seems that some have lost the big picture!

Today’s reading by the Prophet Isaiah helps us refocus as he celebrates the power of God to bring the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. Nothing stands in the way of God, who “brings princes to naught and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing” (Is 40:23). “Before God all the nations are nothing. God counts them as nothing and void” (Is 40:17). The prophet invites the people to scan the sky: “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these.” (Is 40:26) Then the prophet challenges the people to cast aside their doubts and fears. Their comings and goings are not hidden from the Lord.

He concludes this beautiful passage about God’s love on a most practical issue. Knowing during Israel’s journey back to their homeland, the exiles will lose hope, grow weary, and faint. The prophet offers realistic hope, founded in the nature of the fidelity of the God who has called them: “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings.” (Is 40:31)

Yesterday’s Gospel challenged the Church to imitate the merciful Jesus who goes after believers who have gone astray. Today’s Gospel highlights Jesus, the divine and merciful teacher. I approach this passage from three perspectives. The first comes from Sirach celebrating Wisdom’s gift: “Submit your neck to her yoke so that your mind may accept her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her … Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God.” (Sir 51:26, 29) The second is in Matthew 23 where the evangelist takes to task non-Christian Jews whose teaching is undercut by their failure to live up to their teaching. “They tie up heavy burdens, which are hard to carry, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.” (Mt 23:4–5) Matthew’s point applies to all who do not practice what they preach. The third is the entirety of Matthew’s Gospel, which portrays Jesus as the compassionate and loving teacher, God’s Wisdom among us. Here Jesus invites us to “take [his] yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart…” (Mt 12:29)[1]

One-way of taking on Jesus’ yoke is by going out and finding the lost sheep. Our response to His invitation and in cooperation with God’s transforming grace, we become a beacon of hope in the Lord. May we never grow tired of going out into the world to find those who are lost—while the other 99 rejoice.[2]

[1] Weekday HomilyHelps for Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Exegesis by Robert J. Karris, OFM

[2] Ibid. Homily Suggestion by Colin King, OFM

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

TOSS THE LIFE RING

There was a different priest on the altar today. The priest noticed, as he headed over to the ambo, three teenage boys sitting in the third row that seemed not so interested in being in church. The priest started the homily talking of an ocean fishing trip with a father, his son and his son’s best friend. They were enjoying great conversation and not paying much attention to fishing when they felt the winds shift suddenly. A fast-moving storm was approaching. Just as the father turned to start the engine a rogue wave hit the boat knocking them to the bottom of the boat. The father barked at the boys to put on their life jackets, as he frantically tried to start the engine. Then the second wave hit the boat broadside and the boys were thrown overboard.

The father, still in the boat, heard the boys calling for help. The currents were pulling them apart and farther away from the boat. The father grabbed the life ring, he knew he would only be able to save one boy. The priest noticed the three teens on the edge of their pew. He threw the ring and as the boy grabbed hold the father hollered, “I love you son.” He pulled his son’s best friend onto the boat and headed to harbor.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?” (Mt 18:12) The father in the boat saved the one. You see this visiting priest was the son’s best friend, who, at the time of the incident a boy who had not yet accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

In my Advent journey I have come to recognize how often our Heavenly Father throws life rings to us. God’s life rings come in the form of invitations. An invitation by our priests to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They come as invitations to participate in daily Mass, when possible. The invitation to spend an hour with Jesus, praying in Eucharistic Adoration. To participate in first Friday Mass, Live Rosary, Choral Concerts, in the many prayer and scripture study groups, and the host of other community service projects the parish supports. The list of these invitations goes on!

The challenge is, every time we convince ourselves there is something more important or a higher priority in our life than developing our relationship with God. Whether it be work related, sports, your favorite tv show, yes, even family stuff. We slap the life ring away insisting that we can keep our head above the stormy waters on our own.

When that boy grabbed onto the life ring, in the midst of the raging sea, he had no idea how his life was going to change. He experienced a deeper relationship with the Father, which enabled him to be free to give himself completely in service as a priest to save others.

My first heart longing goes out to those who may be attending daily Mass for the first time longing for a deeper relationship with God. Here’s the life ring. What do you need to re-prioritize in your life to free your hands & heart to grab onto it.

My second heart longing goes to those of us who are secure in our faith, maybe still clinging to the life ring, but we know the compassion and mercy of God. We, by our ordination at Baptism, are to throw life rings to others. To leave the security of the 99 and go after the one that strayed.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE PICTURE

[1]Once upon a time there were two kingdoms entangled in battle for several years. At last a kingdom was victorious. To mark the occasion, the victorious king decreed a competition be held to paint a picture commemorating the peace achieved. Two painters came forward. The king explained his desire for the painting and offered a handsome prize to the winner. Then he dismissed the painters to their work. After some time passed the king summoned the painters individually to judge their work.

The first painter reported and revealed his work. It was a beautiful and bright picture of the castle and surrounding kingdom. The castle was painted as it must have looked when it was first built with brightly colored flags on each parapet. It was painted against a bright backdrop of a beautiful blue sky. Surrounding the castle was an array of forest greenery with a large green meadow. In the meadow, children were playing, with villagers sharing a meal. There was even a bunny rabbit in the foreground, seemingly undisturbed by the peaceful setting. The king gazed upon the picture with an emotionless expression. He dismissed the painter commenting he would reserve judgement until he saw both paintings.

When the second painters work was revealed, the king immediately noticed it was a considerably darker painting. The castle and surrounding kingdom had the marks of years of battle. The castle was scarred, the parapet flags were weathered and torn. The backdrop was grey as if there may be a storm brewing. The surrounding landscape was green, in patches, there were children in the meadow with the villagers vigilantly watching over them. There wasn’t even a bunny rabbit anywhere in the picture! The king did notice, in the lowest corner of the painting on the very edge, a fallen tree with a fresh shoot sprouting from its stump and a small white dove perched upon it.[2]

Now which picture best represents the reality of our lives? The fairy-tale picture where everything is bright and beautiful or the second picture where things are a bit darker?

I would suggest that today’s readings points to the hope depicted in the second picture. Isaiah says the Messiah will “judge the poor with justice.” (Is 11:4) The psalmist sings, “justice will flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” (Ps 72:7) And Paul prays, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another.” (Rom 15:5)

In the span of our lived experiences, we have witnessed the destructiveness of war and human hate. Oh, that we would truly recognize God’s creation as a “holy mountain” where justice would flourish and decisions were made “aright for the land’s afflicted.” (Is 11:4)

More than ever, we need the vision of hope spoken by the prophet Isaiah. But rather than just a vision of hope, Christ has come so that “the spirit of the Lord would rest upon [us]. A spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord.” (Is 11:2-4) Peace and justice, hope and harmony—this is Jesus.

In a few moments, we will profess our belief that Jesus Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. This is a side of Jesus that can make us uncomfortable. We’d rather think of him as the one who heals, encourages and consoles. He is all these things. This is where we can learn something important from John the Baptist “when he saw the many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism.” (Mt 3:7) He was not going to let his baptism just be a bit of religious formalism, an exercise in harmless piety; he was determined to reach people at the core of their being—this is Advent. Preparing for Christmas involves not only celebration but introspection. How ready are we for the coming of Christ?[3]

Preparing our hearts for Christ can be a daunting task in a world where division and hatefulness are encouraged and even celebrated; where we can barely speak cordially to each other. Yet Christ gives us a mission. We come closer each and every day we regard our common life on this planet as sacred and seek to be converted toward peace and justice in our own lives and circles of influence.

This is how, even in our own brokenness and bearing the scars of our battles fought, we can still be a fresh shoot sprouting forth to bring peace, hope and harmony in our own little corner of the picture.

[2] Unknown Author.

Friday, December 6, 2019

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

For years, while working at Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County, the organization, had the dream of moving into a large enough space to consolidate our family support services, construction program & retail operation onto one large campus. As the Board strategized the ideal location there was a common mantra for the success: Location, Location, Location. Where do we put our operations that would be accessible for the families we served; What location would be logistically sound for our construction management throughout Brevard; and where would we locate the retail operation to ensure the greatest community exposure for the store and ministry?

In my faith life, I have come to believe that “success” (growing deeper in my relationship with God) also has a mantra: Practice, Practice, Practice. Doctors practice medicine; lawyers practice law. These professions, among others, require continuing education to keep up with the latest professional developments. Athletes and musicians are always practicing so they can be the best athlete or musician possible.[1] How do you get to the NFL, NBA, or Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice.

In conversations with those I often meet in the community, occasionally they will say something to suggest they are Catholic, so I ask, are you a Catholic? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the response, “Yes, but I’m not a practicing Catholic.” What does being a “practicing Catholic” mean? How do you practice your faith?

Yesterday’s Gospel taught the importance of hearing and doing what Jesus taught. Yet today we hear of two blind men doing exactly the opposite of what Jesus had instructed. This may be confusing, at face value, until we remember that Matthew’s source, portrays the mystery of Jesus’ identity as key and linked essentially to faith. The blind men caught up with Jesus “when he got to the house,” a symbol for the Church, the community of faith. Come to understand that faith is the entrance into the mystery of Christ.[2]

So, to “practice” our faith can mean being active, involved, committed, and enthusiastic. It can also mean following, observing, and living out our profession, our passion, our faith. In Isaiah, we are comforted in hearing that our healing will come when we walk in the way of the Lord. Such walking requires “practice.” The concern is that we become complacent in our “practice”, thinking I come to daily Mass, safe within the walls of the church, with people of a shared faith tradition. Practice is a means to stretch ourselves to becoming a better Catholic. The real challenges of practicing our faith is in the world, outside of the security of these walls and nurturing community.

As we prepare to participate in this Eucharistic mystery, let’s ask ourselves, “how can we better practice our faith and follow the Lord’s way,” so that we might become the light that draws others to begin or reengage in the "practice" of their faith.

[1] Weekday HomilyHelps, December 6, 2019. Homily Suggestion by Vickie Griner, OSC.

[2] Ibid. Exegesis by Dr. Mary Ann Getty.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

TABLE OF PLENTY

“Come to the feast of heaven and earth! Come to the table of plenty! God will provide for all that we need, here at the table of plenty. O come and sit at my table, where saints and sinners are friends. I wait to welcome the lost and lonely to share the cup of my love. Come to the feast of heaven and earth! Come to the table of plenty! God will provide for all that we need, here at the table of plenty.” These song lyrics, composed by Dan Schutte, perfectly illustrate today’s readings where no one has been left hungry.

Although Isaiah pronounces many oracles warning of judgment, the prophet returns again and again to celebrate in praise and prayer God’s victory over all the forces of evil and the threats to God’s people. He shares a vision where the banquet table seats everyone. Where tears and even death are eliminated. Oppression and other “reproaches” are removed because God has spoken. The celebration encompasses ALL people who will see for themselves the one, true, living God.

Similarly, we hear in the Gospel, large crowds are bringing people suffering from every manner of illness and disability, Jew and Gentile alike, and Jesus cures them.[1] All people are fed, all have their fill, not only a full tummy but also a heart filled with joy, a body that is healed, and a sense that “I belong at the table of plenty.”

Note the disciples, again, play a crucial role in distributing the bread and gathering the fragments. Jesus tells his disciples, “I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” Jesus’ words are truly not about the food, but much more about the mindset that someone cares for us. Someone is shepherding the needs of our being. Love makes our faith whole—the love of Jesus.

In the Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis writes: “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”

We find our comfort and our joy everyday with Jesus in the Eucharist. St. John Damascene, the saint we celebrate today, once wrote, “The Eucharist is the fire which inflames us.”[2] Jesus beckons, will you be My disciple to share our lives of abundance, to bring the hope of this season to the broken and lost, and inviting them to the Table of Plenty

[1] Weekday HomilyHelps for December 4, 2019. Exegesis by Dr. Mary Ann Getty.

[2] Ibid. Homily Suggestion by Luisa Bayate, OSC.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

READY FOR INSPECTION!

[1]Reading for Inspection, Sir! As a platoon commander, I’ve called this instruction out numerous times to my company commander. Unfortunately, I often knew some of my platoon members were not ready at all. I learned over time there are three basic types of platoon members. Those who were not ready for inspection, any inspection, as their interests were more on liberty or some other distraction. There were the ones ready for inspection, but the platoon ended up waiting for them as they had to run back to the barracks to change out of their inspection uniform, into their work uniform. Then there were the members who properly cared for all their uniforms, who would not just be ready for inspection every morning, they were ready to immediately go to work, without fuss.

Each year we enter a new liturgical year, Advent, and I would venture a guess, for most of us here, this is not our first Advent season. We have the routine down, right? But I would suggest there are three basic groups of people when it comes to this short season of the Church year.

The Not Ready. These folks tend to get swept away by the distractions of Christmas preparations, unaware of the gift of the Advent season. They’ve got to shop for the perfect gifts, they’ve got to decorate, they’ve got to shop, mail the Christmas cards, shop, prepare to entertain, they’ve got to shop. Oh, then there’s the events at school, work, church, their spouse’s company party. Sometimes even the good things of the world can draw us away from God as we’re tantalized by their very goodness, but when loved out of order, leads to desire the creations instead of the Creator.

The Seemingly Ready. These folks seem to have the spirit of the season all together. They’re full of joy as you greet them. They can even bring joy to the chaos of Black Friday shopping. Yet, when they’re home and alone, they’re joyful mask is removed as they grieve a broken family relationship, separation from a loved one serving overseas, or experiencing their first holiday season alone because of the death of a spouse or family member. They want to be transformed by the season, alas the best they can muster is putting on their best seasonal mask to disguise their sorrow and pain.

The Always Ready, “Puts on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 13:14) Like putting on a new set of clothes they allow Christ to embrace them totally and transform the very essence of their being. They tend to embrace Advent as a time to seek a deeper relationship with the Christ who is to come. They manage a balanced life of seasonal and spiritual preparation.

How can we be found always ready? Isaiah tells us to do just what we are doing now; go “to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways,” (Is 2:3) this is a place we can be wrapped in His forgiveness, instructed by His Word, and feed by Eucharist. Paul says to “awake from sleep, then throw off the works of darkness”; drunkenness, sexual impropriety, and community discord. All of these are works of the flesh, whereas Christians are to live according to the Spirit. Jesus tells us to be watchful and alert. Don’t be like people of Noah’s time, caught unaware by the flood and swept away.

Today’s scriptures share a vision of the world as a place where God is active. It’s a dangerous world, but one in which safety can be found by those who open themselves to God’s grace. Christ came among us to satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. One of those longings is for peace—peace among nations, peace in our families and neighborhoods, peace within our very selves.

Peace and justice begin in our own hearts, our own lives. Hatred, violence, and fear dominate the headlines, but we don’t have to be overwhelmed by them. We can refuse to hate. We can refuse to support violence. We can refuse to give up hope. These days, that’s a big order. But in our efforts to widen the circle of goodness, God has made a big investment. He sent his only-begotten Son to be with us and to save us.[2]

Consider our Baptism, where we were washed clean by water, given a candle, a light to be kept burning brightly, and a white garment to bring unstained to greet our Lord when he returns. Let our Advent wreath be a reminder to put on the armor of Light and let this be a season where we look to our future, while living in the present, always walking in the light of the Lord, prepared to approach Him: Ready for inspection.