Knowing Christ has not only come once, but is coming again, have I ever considered making the prayer “O Come, Emmanuel” my own? This Advent, how might I embrace this practice to prepare my heart for His coming by praying for His coming?
What strikes me about the reflections on time? Specifically, about the importance waiting through periods of the “mean time” for God’s plan and understanding myself to be “on the way”?
How might I better pray with and embrace the virtues of “patience” and “hope” this Advent?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman'u-el. (Is. 7: 14)
“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him”. (Mark 1)
And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." (John 2: 4)
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)
“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation”. (2 Peter 3)
“Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand… As an example of suffering and patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. (James 5: 7-10)
“In Christianity, time has a fundamental importance; for the People of God, history becomes a path to be followed until the end” (John Paul II, Fides et Ratio 12)
“The virtue of Hope is preeminently the virtue of being on the way …” (Josef Pieper, Faith, Hope, Love)
“The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man…it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. (CCC 1818)