Advent is more than anything else, a time of waiting, conversion and of hope: a “waiting memory” of the first, humble coming of the Lord in our mortal flesh; and a “waiting appeal” for his final, glorious coming as Lord of history and universal judge. It’s a deeper conversion, to which the liturgy at this time often refers, quoting the prophets’ expectant hope that the salvation brought by the Messiah, finds its meaning in the coming of Christ in salvation history.

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“… and he tells Nicodemus very simply—the Father has sent me here to save the world. And why? Why? Because the Father loves the world. The Father doesn’t hate the world, he loves his creation and he will do what is necessary to set his creation right.”

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“Jesus knew what Nicodemus needed because He knows what was in man—a heart in need of God’s divine power to make it spiritually beat again. That’s what Nicodemus needed. That’s what you and I need—God’s love, his fire, to enliven our hearts through faith and baptism. Baptism is the sacrament of new life. That new life happens when we are baptized into Christ.”

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“Many people go through life not really knowing what they most fundamentally want, and accordingly, they drift. Maybe that’s true even for you. I mean what do we think we want and what do we fundamentally want? There could be a drastic difference.”

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“Nevertheless, the all-knowing wise God who knows us better than we know ourselves has made a declaration about humanity that remains true based on the evidence of how we mess things up constantly—we are in dire need of a Savior—the Lamb of God, Jesus. This Lamb of God entered into our dysfunction, our brokenness and provided a way for ALL of us to be rescued from ourselves—His death and resurrection.”

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Do I really have to have ashes marked on my forehead?

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