Your Redemption is drawing near

In yesterday’s reflection we featured the homily of Pope Francis on this week’s Gospel Luke 21:35-28, 34-36 ‘Now when these things (frightening cosmic signs and distress of nations) begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near’. The pope explained that the cosmic signs and distress of nations, that the Gospel refers to, can be interpreted as today’s signs of the times.

We witness these signs today in the world news, locally within our societies and even within our very lives. We experience these signs within - through tension, anxiety, stress, worry and an interior agitation. We live in frenzied times of anger, distrust and suspicion.

Yet, Pope Francis points out that the Gospel is saying that these very signs of distress are also signs that the Christ Child is drawing near. The very turmoil in our lives speaks to us of the coming of the Christ Child on Christmas Day. They call us to straighten up our lives and raise our heads.

We do this by making Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas, a time of slowing down, quieting our minds and hearts and living a more interior life of contemplation. We make quality time for prayer, reflection and building relationships.

Our redemption is first and foremost, salvation from sin and error by the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also a personal redemption, a saving from lives of depression, anxiety, agitation, worry, anger and the frenetic pace of the modern world.

The Christ Child is drawing near to redeem us if we would only stop and let Him into ours lives. He comes to heal our wounds, calm our restless hearts, and fill the emptiness we often try to ignore. Advent is our invitation to prepare a space for Him—not just in our homes, but in our hearts and daily lives.

As we await the Christ Child, we are reminded that true peace and joy are not found in worldly distractions or achievements but in a relationship with Him. By embracing His coming with faith and openness, we allow His light to dispel the darkness within us and around us, bringing us into the fullness of His love and grace.

Arriving in London with Sandee yesterday, to visit our daughter, her husband and two little girls affords us the opportunity to do just that, slow down, quieten our minds, pray and reflect. Isn’t God wonderful! For those of you who have read Lord of the Rings, it is like arriving in Rivendell, a homely place of sanctuary.

I hope the posts will reflect this ambience. Still, I also hope to draw on the rich culture and experience of living in a modern, contemporary, developed city of the world.

If you haven’t started your Advent calendar and journal, it is not too late. You can get a copy at the following link A Season of Hope Link

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