We have come to the last Sunday of Advent. This year we observe four complete weeks of Advent because Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. Back in 2017, we celebrated the Fourth Sunday of Advent and immediately after, we celebrated Christmas Eve (Sunday evening) and Christmas Day (Monday). Christmas will only fall on a Sunday once again, in 2033.
The season of Advent always comes and goes quickly because we are busy with the festivities and hustle and bustle of preparing cookies, shopping, and decorating for Christmas and New Year. We often forget to meditate on the Advent readings and perhaps neglect to reflect on the purpose and spiritual aspects of the Advent season.
During this Fourth Week of Advent - a week that increases our longing to see Christ Jesus - we learn to be more patient and forgiving, more service-oriented and contemplative like Mary, who “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart,” (LK2:19). In the next few days before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, take a few moments each day not to get ahead of ourselves, but instead to live the final week of Advent with the proper disposition in our hearts to welcome Child Jesus on Christmas Day and New Year.
We long to see Christ and celebrate Him this Christmas - a spiritual Christmas! It is a “time for the baby to be born… wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn,” (LK2:6-7). This Christmas we embrace Child Jesus in our hearts and welcome Him into our homes. We want Him to lay in the manger of our hearts. His coming and His presence will make us holy. Let His light shine on us, and bring us joy. As the glory of the Lord shine on the entire world and let our lips, hearts, minds, and souls are filled with praises and glory all the day of our lives (cf. Ps 70).
As you all know, it has been raining these past few days, causing flash floods and landslides in parts of our country. The weather forecast across Malaysia says that we should expect to see more rainfall in the coming weeks. The Parish Flood Relief Ministry (PFRM) had our emergency meeting on Tuesday (13 December 2022) to prepare ourselves for any instances of flooding. The PFRM will purchase all the necessary items in order to move forward and assist victims in flood-prone areas, especially Muadzam Shah, Pekan and Rompin. We will also work on collecting items, getting the necessities for cooking in the kitchen and evacuation centres, should the need arise. We hope to provide everything we can, to help keep flood victims safe from danger and illnesses, and as comfortable as possible.
MAY YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES BE BLESSED WITH PEACE, LOVE AND JOY.
