Of Mind and Heart

We are here. Advent has arrived. As one commentator put it, “Long before the First Sunday of Advent arrives each year, the sounds of Christmas seep into our daily living. Whether in the car, at the grocery store, in our schools or even in our homes, classic holiday tunes echo through the air well in advance of the birthday of Jesus. Advent needs our waiting, our patience. It needs us to take our time, sing another verse, to wait with bated breath for the lighting of another candle, for a pregnant pause before we begin…”

Advent prepares us for two things, the first part of Advent prepares us for the second coming of Christ and the latter part of Advent focuses on the birth of Jesus. It’s a time of hopeful waiting. Yes, there is work to be done in preparing, but we must also keep watch, as we constantly expect our desire to be fulfilled. One way of preparing during Advent is to cleanse our hearts of sin. On Tuesday, December 7tth at 6:00 p.m. at St. Ann Church in Linwood, Prince of Peace Parish will have priests available to hear individual confessions. Holy Trinity Parish in Pinconning will host us for the sacrament on Sunday, December 12th at 1:00 p.m.. We are happy to this Advent to once again celebrate the Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution (a.k.a. Communal Penance) on Monday, December 13th at 7:00 p.m.. There will be five priests available to hear confessions that night. The grace and peace of the sacrament can be gift for yourself as well as the others you come in contact with.