First Sunday of Advent: Renewing the HOPE...

  First Sunday of Advent

Renewing the HOPE

In Advent, Christians relive a dual impulse of the spirit:  on the one hand, they raise their eyes towards the final destination of their pilgrimage through history, which is the glorious return of the Lord Jesus; on the other, remembering with emotion His birth in Bethlehem, they kneel before the Crib. The hope of Christians is turned to the future but remains firmly rooted in an event of the past. In the fullness of time, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary:  "Born of a woman, born under the law", as the Apostle Paul writes (Gal 4: 4). - Pope Benedict XVI, 27 November 2005

"But take heed to yourselves 

lest your hearts be weighed down..."

Luke 21:34a (Jesus' words in Today's Gospel) 

Rorate Mass:  a dawn Mass said only by candlelight - to welcome the Advent season

"It is the beautiful task of Advent 

to awaken in all of us 

memories of goodness 

and thus open doors of hope."

Pope Benedict XVI

Singing Angels – Relief from the Cantoria by Luca Della Robbia (c. 1435)

"Hills of the North, rejoice: 

Rivers and mountain-spring, 

Hark to the advent voice!

Valley and lowland, sing!"

Charles Edward Oakley, Hymnist

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"Let us approach Christmas with an expectant hush, 

rather than a last-minute rush." 

Anonymous
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Advent season resources

Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem.

May we let ourselves be drawn 

by the light of God made man." - Pope Francis

Advent: Catholic News Agency 

Click here: Advent in 2 Minutes - YouTube 
Click here: Making Advent a more holy season - YouTube (4:30 mins)

Click here: Fish Eaters Advent Overview

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Learn more about the saints of Advent, including 

St Edmund Campion (Dec 1), the Blessed Virgin Mary 

(Dec. 8 - IC celebrated on 9th this year; also feasts on 10 and 12), 

St. John the Baptist, St Francis Xavier (Dec 3), 

St John Damascene (Dec 4), St. Nicholas (Dec. 6), 

St Ambrose (Dec 7), St. Juan Diego (Dec. 9), 

St. Lucy (Dec. 13), St John of the Cross (Dec 14), 

St Peter Canisius (Dec 21), St Stephen (Dec 26), 

St John of Kanty (Dec 23), the Holy Innocents (28th) and

St Thomas Becket (Dec 29th).  All you holy ones, pray for us!