Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     We hear in today’s second Reading from Paul’s letter to Philemon: ” May God Who began the good work in you bring it to fulfillment…”.  Have you ever asked yourself the question; “what is the good work God has begun in me?”.  It certainly is a fine point for our Advent reflections and preparation. Since the past two weeks of Scripture have been about the end times now we have the opportunity to set our sight on the future and what we are going to do about it.

     Today’s Gospel sheds light on our future and our answer.   We see that John the Baptist understood well the work God had planned for him.  With great diligence he prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah and had the ultimate joy of announcing Him to the world; “Behold the Lamb of God…”  He was chosen for this great responsibility.  John’s dramatic lifestyle evokes a lot of attention.  It was his hook that caught the attention of low and high alike to pay attention.   Our call, thank God , is much more subtle.  People, hopefully detect a peace and serenity in us even in the midst of hectic times.  This attribute comes from a solid prayer life and a continual focus on our relationship with Christ.  We may be surprised by this but there is no doubt that others perceive our closeness with the Lord.

    If, perhaps, we are not too sure about our “carrying on the good work that God has begun in us,” a good and thorough Confession and time before the Lord in Adoration can rectify our ability to witness to the Messiah.  It’s important to remember that this Season goes by so fast that it is easy to miss the opportunity to renew our spiritual lives.  Have a most productive and fulfilling Advent.

With Blessings,

Father Langan