Advent: a Time to Come to Christ

Advent comes from the Latin words “ad” (to) and “venio” (come), which means: to come, or coming. Advent is the liturgical season to experience the three comings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 1-Christ’s coming to Bethlehem in humility, 2-Christ’s coming to sanctify us in the sacraments and the life of the Church, 3-Christ’s coming in glory on the last day to establish the fullness of his kingdom. 

This year, I propose celebrating not only the three comings of Christ, but also our three comings to Christ, as follows:

1. Let's come to meet Christ in his first coming by reading at least one of the Gospels and savoring the fulfillment of the prophecies of his coming; like he would receive David’s throne (2 Samuel 7:12-13), he would be from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10), he would be conceived in the virgin's womb (Isaiah 7:14), he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-2), he would spend a season in Egypt (Hosea 11:1), he would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), he would be spat and beaten (Isaiah 5-:6), he would resurrect (Job 19:25-27; Ps 49:15)

2. Let's come to meet Christ among us by actively participating in the Church services, liturgies, Sacraments, Christmas songs, Psalm readings, Nativity enactments, prayer services. “For where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them,” (Matthew 18:20) 

3. Let's meet Christ in his glorious third coming on the last day, by imagining what it will be like to stand in his presence. Will I kneel? Will I dance? Will I hide? Will I laugh or will I cry? So, this Advent time may serve us well to meditate on our mortality, not morbidly, but constructively, putting in perspective what really matters in our lives. Thinking about our mortality could help us live the rest of our lives in the way, the truth, and the life, and in doing so reach everlasting life in Christ our savior. So in this Advent, let's renew our faith in the world to come strengthened by the words of Christ, who said, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up on the last day” (John 6:39)

This Advent, we pray: Come, Lord Jesus, as we come to you.

Deacon Carlos A. Ramirez was born in Peru and ordained as a Deacon in New Orleans in 2001.

He is a retired Mechanical Engineer from Lockheed Martin and serves the Hispanic Apostolate on the North Shore.