So often we are caught up in the busyness of the “holiday season” leading up to the celebration of the most significant moment in history: Christmas.  Every year we are given an opportunity to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the coming of our Saviour.  Do we allow this opportunity to slip by? What exactly are we preparing for?

At Mass just a few weeks ago, as we started rounding out the liturgical year, we heard in the Gospel of Mark (12:28-31), that the greatest commandments are about loving God and loving each other.  With the help of Pope Francis, we are well versed in loving one another as we love ourselves.  But how well are we doing with the other great commandment of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?

A lot of us are distracted throughout the year with work, school, activities, life stressors and such.  We are pulled away from important pieces of our faith lives by worldly pleasures.  There is nothing wrong with the joys these things may bring us (granted they are not sinful), however, if they pull us away from God, then there’s a problem.  Are we truly loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?  It seems the busyness surrounding the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas day are amplified as we make lists of things to do such as shopping for gifts, preparing food for the big celebration, attending concerts and activities, having photos taken with a jolly man in a red suit, etc.  How can we uphold the greatest commandment with all these distractions? 

Although we are good at showing our love for others through our intentional gift giving, helping those in need and preparing feasts for family and friends, we need to work on focussing more on Jesus: the source of our salvation, our gift from God, so that we may be in heaven with him one day.

And with that, Life Teen and Edge invite all parishioners to a special Advent Eucharistic Adoration event on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 7:00pm - 8:30pm.  Join the parish community for a talk given by Father Lucio Choi, on preparing joyfully in Advent for the coming of Jesus.  There will be praise and worship music, reflection and of course an opportunity for silent adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.  Just when you may be getting busier, let us help you slow down, take time and open your heart to Jesus even more than before.