Preparing for Advent: The Lord is on the Way

The Advent Season is a time for us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day. It is a time of hope, love, joy, and peace. It’s a time to reflect on the story of the birth of Christ and what it means for us, individually and to the world. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he brought her news that she, a young girl of only 14 years or so, would birth the Savior of the World. “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women…..fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And his kingdom shall have no end.” Luke 1:28, 30-33.

Mary certainly thought this to be a strange greeting as she was a lowly girl, living a humble life in Galilee. Because of her response to the unimaginable, we received through her, a Savior. Mankind would no longer be enveloped in the darkness of sin, because Christ, our light, was on the way. God’s plan from the beginning was to save us, and that plan was in full swing. Jesus will return again, and our preparation for Christmas should lead our hearts to preparing for his second coming. The greatest gift of Christmas isn’t the toy or gadget or clothes that we wish for. It is Jesus. I am looking forward to reflecting and pondering the mystery of the incarnation. God coming in flesh to dwell among his people. This is the most precious gift.

Artwork Created by Latrell Castanon