Four weeks and five days from now We shall solemnize Christmas. It is the first feast of our Lord occurring during the Ecclesiastical Year. The Holy season of Advent, which begins today, is designated as a time of preparation for the worthy celebration of the Christmas festival.

This is why the Catholic Church admonishes all of us to begin this preparation today, addressing the words of Saint Paul to us:

 “It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep” (Romans 13:11).

How many of you have let the last Ecclesiastical Year pass by in the deep sleep of sin?  Today is the first day of the new liturgical year.  The good God has given you another opportunity to make your New Year’s Resolution to rise from such a  dangerous and pernicious sleep - a sleep of death - because Mortal Sin means death to the soul and every soul in the state of Mortal Sin is in the state of Spiritual death.  NOW, today, humbly and meekly ask the good God to give you the graces necessary to really begin the work of your salvation because the soul you save must first be your own soul!

Today, being the first day of the new liturgical calendar year, is also the first day of the penitential season of Advent which should be a season of holiness for each and every one of us which season should be sanctified by your good works - the real living of a life-style of Virtue.  So cast off the life-style of vice - which is the death of the soul -  and replace it with the life of the soul - Virtue - by truly living the life-style of Virtue.

Today one is subjected to a number of television ads from gyms which hype the benefits of physical exercise in their establishments.  But is not the soul a great thing than the body?

So, instead of getting overly focused on exercising your body, try to sanctify Advent by Spiritual exercises that focus on exercising your immortal Soul by:

 1) the practice of prayer;
 2) the practice of penance;
 3) the practice of works of mercy to the poor.

1.  Sanctify Advent by the Spiritual Exercise of the Practice of Prayer.

Have you ever read an autobiography or a biography of a real Saint who never prayed?  Very unlikely!

Consider the Old Testament Scripture which tells us about David.  He himself says:

“I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed: I will water my couch with my tears” (Psalm 6:7).

In the New Testament, one finds Saint Paul, who shut himself up in a room in Damascus, and spent three days and three nights in prayer, neither eating nor drinking:

“And he was there three days, without sight, and he did neither eat nor drink.  Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias.  And the Lord said to him in a vision:  Ananias.  And he said:  Behold I am here, Lord.  And the Lord said to him:  Arise, and go into the street that is called Strait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus.  For behold he prayeth” (Acts 9:9-11).

Then there is an even greater example in Saint Mary Magdalen, who retired into a cavern near Marseilles, France - part of ancient Gaul, where she devoted thirty years, until the end of her life, to exercises of devotion.

The Catholic Church also desires that each and every Catholic practice the Spiritual exercise of prayer, beginning especially during Advent.

This explains why the Mass Celebrant, near the end of the Mass, says:  “Benedicamus Domino” (Let us Bless the Lord).  Liturgically, the Catholic Church suggests that Catholics follow the custom of the early Catholics of the first Century who, on penitential days, did not leave the house of God immediately after Mass, but instead remained for a time in earnest prayer.

2.  Sanctify Advent by the Spiritual Exercise of the Practice of Penance.

Prayer and penance go together, and are inseparable.  Consider how there never was a true penitent who was not also zealous in prayer.

The Spiritual theme for the beginning of the new Liturgical year is proper Spiritual preparation which includes the exercise of a prudent penance. The first Advent of four thousand years was a time of penance. For this reason God exhorted the people so often to do penance.

Here are a few examples:

God tells us that He ignores the prayers of those who are stained with sin and who do not do penance:

“And when you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away My eyes from you: and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear: for your hands are full of blood.  Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from My eyes, cease to do perversely [Today this means: 1)  to stop committing sin: 2) have the sins you have committed washed away in the Sacrament of Penance]” (Isaias 1:15-16).

From time to time, people ask why are their prayers not answered?  Why are the intentions of their Novena(s) not answered?  Sometimes (but not always) the reason is the one given above in Isaias 1:15-16.

The solution to the above problem is to return from the habit of committing sin, especially the sin of one’s predominant fault:

“When He said: Return ye, every one from his evil way, and from your wicked devices, and you shall dwell in the land which the Lord hath given to you, and your fathers for ever and ever.  And go not after strange gods to serve them, and adore them: nor provoke Me to wrath by the works of your hands, and I will not afflict you” (Jeremias 25:5-6).

And, if this has been the problem, by doing this, God will once more begin to answer your prayers, to grant your intentions of your Novena(s) and/or Mass(es)!

Recall how Saint John the Baptist preached penance:

“And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea.  And saying:  Do penance:  for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying:  A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (Matthew 3:1-3).

Christ Himself teaches:

“Unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

The Catholic Church exhorts each of us to do penance, and for this reason she forbids the solemnizing of marriage during Advent, and uses the color of violet for the liturgical vestments which is the color of penance.

Because, from our childhood, all of us have frequently offended God by sin, penance is absolutely necessary for us.  Because it is by penance that we prepare the way into our hearts for our Divine Saviour, Jesus Christ.

3.  Sanctify Advent by the Spiritual exercise of the practice of works of mercy to the poor.

Works of mercy are actually another form of exercises of penance. Christ became man and appeared upon earth as a poor, helpless child.  Christ lived for only thirty-three years - always in poverty and suffering, and at last died on the cross. He made all these sacrifices to atone for our sins, to reconcile us with God, and to restore us to His friendship. What self-less love on the part of our Redeemer! Should not His love and mercy motivate each of us to be charitable towards our neighbors, and to perform works of mercy?

If God sees that we are charitable and merciful towards the poor and needy, assisting them in their necessities, He will show us mercy and lead us to the Sacrament of Penance where He can pardon us of our sins.

But even in the Old Testament, which was only “a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things” (Hebrews 10:1), the Archangel Saint Raphael said to Tobias:

“Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold.  For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.  But they that commit sin and iniquity, are enemies to their own soul” (Tobias 12:8-10).

Resolutions

1.  For your resolutions of Sanctifying Advent by the Spiritual exercise of the practice of prayer, humbly and meekly ask the good God for His Graces that, during this Advent season, you can pray with greater zeal and fervor than you have before.

In practical, realistic terms, this means that if you have been careless in saying your morning and evening prayers, your prayers before and after meals, your daily rosary, etc., now to resolve to be punctual in saying them without excuses.

IF possible, assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays and Holydays, even on week-days whenever possible.

You should also consider reciting the Angelus three times a day, morning, noon, and evening - or, at least, once a day - because the principal mystery of Advent, the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, is commemorated in this prayer.

As often as possible spend some time in Spiritual Reading which helps to “recharge”, so to speak, your spirit which can become tired or discouraged or negative during the season of Advent.

2.  For your resolutions of Sanctifying Advent by the Spiritual exercise of the practice of penance, prayerfully consider those penances which you should be performed during Advent, as, for example:

Perform the penance of cleansing of your conscience from sin by the Grace of a good confession. Those of you who have heretofore lived in the state of sin should now do penance, most especially those who know they are guilty of one or more Mortal sins. All those in the state of sin, especially Mortal sin, should worthily receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist during this holy season of Advent.

Perform the penance of both interior and exterior mortifications.

Interior mortifications include:

a)  curbing of one’s passions;

b) extirpation of one’s inordinate inclinations, most especially those of:

 aa) vanity;
 ab) pride;
 ac) worldly-mindedness;
 ad) materialism;
 ae) avarice/greed;
 af) uncharitableness;
 ag) anger;
 ah) pagan secularism;
 ai) egotism;
 aj) selfishness.

Exterior mortifications include:

a) The diminution of meat and drink;

b) the guarding of the senses, especially the eyes, the ears, and the tongue;

c) abstaining from worldly enjoyments.

d) reducing the total time spent on non-essential telephone calls and cell phone calls by at least 50%.

e) reducing the total time spent on non-essential text-messaging by at least 50%.

We must practice these interior and exterior mortifications, partly to prevent future sins, partly to satisfy for the temporal punishment due to sins already committed.

3.  For your resolutions of Sanctifying Advent by the Spiritual exercise of the practice of works of mercy to the poor remember that, because charity covereth a multitude of sins, give alms to the poor and perform works of mercy for the poor, as it is written:

“Be prudent therefore, and watch in prayers.  But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins. Using hospitality one towards another, without murmuring, as every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another: as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak, as the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it, as of the power, which God administereth: that in all things God may be honoured through Jesus Christ: to whom is glory and empire for ever and ever” (1 Peter 4:7-11)

If you deprive yourselves during Advent of your favorite delicacies, of your favorite TV program, of your favorite form of recreation, which are not necessary to keep body and soul together, you should be able to save at least some scant amount of money?  Then take what you have saved and give it to a poor person whom you know.

As a final resolution, in the Holy Name of Jesus, and in an exercise of Catholic Charity, please contribute to the support of the Church - in this case - the Shrine of Saint Jude.  Please help us to save Souls!  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and Charity! Remember, God is never outdone in generosity!!!

Think how happy you will be when, in the next life, God shows you all of the Souls you helped to save by helping our Apostolates, including this Sermon web site, because "he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).

“And in doing good, let us not fail.  For in due time we shall reap, not failing.  Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians  6:9-10).

Conclusion

In conclusion, pray to God the Holy Ghost for His Divine Inspirations to help you to Sanctify Advent.  Take a moment to consider what a terrible and pitiable conditional in which all of us would have been IF Jesus Christ had NOT become man and redeemed us.

Thank our Dear Lord for His great physical, mental, and emotional sacrifices which He made for our Redemption. Make use of the pious exercises which the Catholic Church prescribes and recommends. Receive the Holy Sacraments of Penance and of the Blessed Eucharist; mortify yourselves interiorly and exteriorly, to atone for your sins, to prevent a relapse, and to make progress in living a lifestyle of Virtue. Pray fervently, and perform as many works of mercy as you can. If you sanctify Advent in such a manner, it will become a time of Grace and salvation for each of you!

“It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep” (Romans 13:11).

V   In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Blessing

V. Sit X Nomen Domini benedictum. R. Ex hoc nunc, et usque in saeculum.  V. U Adjutorium nostrum in Nomine Domini. R. Qui fecit cœlum et terram. V. Benedicat vos, Omnipotens Deus:  V. Pa X ter, et Fi X lius, et Spiritus XSanctus, descendat super vos, et maneat semper. R. Amen.

V. Blessed X be the Name of the Lord. R. Now and for ever more. V. U Our help is in the Name of the Lord. R. Who made Heaven and earth. V. May Almighty God bless thee: V. The Fa X ther, the S X on, and the Holy X Ghost, descend upon thee, and always remain with thee. R. Amen.

 

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