“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6
As we begin Advent, Luke’s Gospel recalls Jesus speaking of the end times. How is this relevant as we begin to prepare our hearts for the birth of our Lord? The season of Advent has a two-fold focus: the Incarnation 2,000 years ago and Jesus coming again at the end of time.
There are plenty of books and movies that depict a terrifying apocalyptic end of our world, but for people of faith, the end times are the fulfillment of everything we have hoped for and desire – to be with God forever. This is only possible through the gift God gave to the world, his son Jesus. For it is through his birth and ultimate sacrifice that the world is rescued and redeemed.
How do we respond to this truth? For some it is a bit intimidating to share the story of Jesus. Advent is a beautiful time to focus on the beginning of the story: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” – John 3:16
At our Baptism, Jesus called us to be disciples and missionaries. It is up to us to keep sharing this good news. But we are not expected to fulfill this call on our own. Jesus will always give us the grace we need to serve as his witnesses. We just need to ask him and be open to receiving his direction.
Prayer is a powerful tool that can help us ask God to provide us with all that we need, to confidently share the story of salvation and the reality of God’s extraordinary mercy and love with others.
For this very purpose, the Diocese of Gary has partnered with Hallow, the No.1 Catholic prayer and meditation app. This popular service offers numerous resources designed to enhance our prayer life, including a special Advent “Pray25” series.
The Advent “Pray 25” series will guide listeners through the gift of Jesus and notably feature Sheldon Vanauken’s memoir, A Severe Mercy. The daily prayer journey will offer participants an opportunity to explore the incredible ways God pursues the human heart and what can happen when we let God break into our lives and change everything.
You can also find and join your parish community on Hallow. Community tabs are located at the bottom of the home screen page. Select the tab and add your zip code to find a local parish. This is a great way to pray alongside other members of your community, read prayer reflections, participate in discussions, and share prayer intentions with each other. Learn more on our website at dcgary.org.
This Advent, I hope you will learn how prayer can help you raise your heart and mind to connect with God like never before. Please join me and all the faithful in Northwest Indiana, to ask for the grace to hear God’s voice and for the courage to allow Him to break into our world and change us as we prepare for the birth of our Lord.
May God bless you this Advent!
Your servant,
Most Reverend Robert J. McClory
Bishop
Diocese of Gary