Letter From Pastor 12-6-2015

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Season of Advent always falls during the darkest time of the year. The hours of daylight get shorter and shorter that by the time Advent is almost over we are plunged for a good majority of the day in darkness. For many people this is a tough time of year, especially for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). We crave the light! It is no wonder that the early Church gave us the Season of Advent as a special time for us to anticipate the coming of the Light of the World, our Lord Jesus Christ! Of course, without darkness we can never really appreciate the light. Are there dark places in your life? Broken, or maybe strained, relationships? Struggling with addictive behavior? Dealing with health issues in your life or the life of loved ones? Lonely at this time of year? Overwhelmed by the expectations at this time of year? I think all of us can think of places in our life where there seems to be more darkness than light. Maybe this Season of Advent is the time for us to learn how to “watch and wait” in the darkness and believe with all our hearts that the Light is coming! Jesus Christ truly is the answer to our many problems. He is the “Light that overcomes the darkness.” But for some reason, the Lord has His own time and own way in allowing His light to shine in our lives. What we must learn—everyday but especially during Advent—is to learn patience. And nobody likes to be patient! But the Lord comes to those who are patient. Learn the virtue of patience and, believe me, the dark corners of your life will begin to be filled with light!