Dear Parishioners,
There was a young farmer riding furiously on his horse. A startled passerby yelled at him saying, “Where are you going in such a hurry?” And he yelled back, “Don’t ask me. Ask the horse!”
In our day-to-day activities and hectic schedules, we have to pause occasionally in order to see where our life is heading. The problem, it seems, is that we ride furiously through life unmindful of a direction and clearcut goal. What happens is, instead of us riding the horse, the horse rides us. The horse could be our work, our relationships, our social events and even recreation.
Advent, it seems, is a forgotten season. To the secular world, Advent has no commercial value, and so it gets lost in the “Christmas shopping season.” Our task is to try hard to turn off the noise of commercialism and tune in to the joy-filled mysteries that Advent holds for us. As we embark on our journey this advent, we probably need to get away with God. Talk with Him, our Lover. Refocus. Make a fresh start.
As we journey, please don’t forget your Advent eyeglasses. This constant awareness of eternity should make us see more clearly, love more dearly and live more truly. When confronted with earthly cares and sorrows, put on your Advent glasses and see beyond what meets the eye. When blinded by the glister of worldly riches, pleasures and power, put on your Advent glasses and see that all these are fleeting and temporary. When the visibility is zero because of storms in life, put on your Advent glasses, and see behind the clouds the beauty that awaits those who love God.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Lito