2nd Advent - Fr. Leo

“Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” Mt

In our preparing the way of the Lord, we begin with conforming our lives to Christ’s. Thus our prayer and devotion in this Advent season is aimed at living all aspects of our lives in harmony with the Holy Spirit.  Thus, our prayer and living virtuously go together.  You can’t have one without the other.

This is why St. John the Baptist says to the hypocritical ones who seek his baptism of repentance that they must, “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.”  If our love of God is real, it will find expression in our active love for others.  When the practice of virtues inspired by are prayer become real, then we open the door for the Spiritual baptism that John tells us Jesus will bring. 

Virtuous living and prayer strengthen each other.  The more we love, the more we give, and the more we give, the more we love.  In this season of giving and receiving, let us pray over our giving that what we give may come from our heart as a true gift of love inspired by Christ.  Then we will be God’s holy instruments of peace and love brought into this world for the holiness/salvation of all.  In this Christ-coming, Christmas, becomes real.

In our giving let us also remember we are part of the family of God and our love is called to be universal.  Jews and Gentiles came to Jesus.  So may all be free to come to us as well.  May we pray for, be, and experience the fullness of God’s love for all.