December. Advent.
Christ Jesus, Whom we are going to seek this month, has two thrones: one of grace and one of justice. While we live we can always approach the throne of grace. This throne is placed for our refuge, and the pardon of our sins. Ask and you shall receive; if your sins are as black as jet, they shall be made white as snow.
When we approach the throne of God's mercy, love and grace, we must come deeply penetrated with the knowledge, “Without Me you can do nothing.”—John xv. 5. We have not the grace, nor the strength, nor the willingness, nor the intelligence to do good of ourselves without the help of Jesus. Let us then go with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace.
Let us have great confidence in God's mercy; let us feel, in the depths of our hearts, a conviction that the only source whence a poor sinner can expect effectual help is from God's love. “Although He should kill me I will trust in Him.” We need aid, and we will get that help without fail.
The Church shows her wisdom by not showing us the manger during Advent; for one entire month she tells us, “Prepare yourselves that you may be fit to approach the Infant Jesus at the time of His birth. You must prepare your heart by meditation, by a lively faith, a fervent love, a true humility, a sweetness of character, and a spirit of penance and recollection.” On Christmas day the Lord is not born corporally, as He was at Bethlehem; but He will be born spiritually in our hearts, if they have been well prepared for His reception.
Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.
First Day.
Advent is the season in which we are taught to look forward to the coming of Our Lord into [pg 505] the world at Christmas, and also to His second coming at the end of time, to judge the living and the dead. His first coming was to seek and to save that which was lost; the second will be to gather in the fruits of His labors, the souls that are saved. The sacred time of Advent is therefore a preparation for Christmas, established by the Church, and at the same time it leads us to look for the coming of Christ at the end, and to conform our lives to the life of Christ, so that when we meet Him on the Last Day it will not be in fear and trembling, but with joy, because we have been selected to return with Him to heaven. We will, then, with alacrity enter into this employment during this month, knowing that if we have prepared well for His first coming, we shall be in a fit state to receive Him at His second advent. The time of Advent, according to the Church, is a time of penance, not so great as Lent, but the spirit should be the same. Every morning, if possible, attend Mass in honor of the coming of Christ, and on Fridays impose a slight penance on yourself.