First Sunday in Advent AD 2023

On the first Sunday in Advent, the Gospel speaks of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Since Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas, for celebrating the Nativity of Our Lord, the Church has considered it important to emphasize who is the Child whose birth we are waiting for: it is our Saviour who redeemed us by His suffering, death, and precious blood.

There is an old legend that Jesus' cradle and cross were made of the same wood. It's probably just a beautiful fairy tale. But what is not a fairy tale is the fact that both the baby Jesus resting in the manger of Bethlehem and Christ tormented on the cross of Calvary are "made of the same tree".

This is the center of our Christian faith and the most wonderful message: God has become man and thereby fully embraced us. Jesus Christ, the true God and true man, is our life, joy, and happiness now and forever. We wouldn't exist if He had not created us, and we wouldn't have a future if He would not give it to us.

We know God loves us. Advent is a good time to remind ourselves of this again. But not only that: we too are called to live in true love: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law."

May Our Lord and Saviour grant us a blessed and fruitful Advent Season!