Advent Patience
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Greetings in our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Good things are worth waiting for. In fact, waiting is good for us. It allows us a moment to call to mind God’s presence. For example, let us not waste the opportunity to pray a decade of the rosary when we are waiting in the checkout line, or offer a Hail Mary for someone who needs prayers when we stop at a red traffic light. Our days are punctuated with times when we must wait. When our lives become hectic, we might become frustrated when we have to wait. I have so many things to do! When we are anxious or super busy, it might be more likely to lose focus and take our mind off the Lord. Yet pausing and calling to mind God’s presence is probably what we need. Pausing and calling to mind the Lord’s presence can bring us peace and hope.
Advent is meant to be a time of waiting, a time of patience. We wait in joyful expectation for God’s promises to be fulfilled. The more we can make good use of waiting times by calling to mind the Lord and His presence, the happier we will be.
+Most Reverend John F. Doerfler
Bishop of Marquette