Push Onward

In these last and final days of "Sapientiatide", it is important that we continue with the same vigor and enthusiasm we had at the beginning of Advent.  However, these final days, especially tomorrow, are to be days of intensity and acute readiness for the coming Birth of Our Divine Savior.  Traditionally, Christmas Eve -- in most of Europe and the United States -- was a day of fast and abstinence.  In it this night when we have the so-called Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian) or Wigilia (Polish), or some other sort of variety of meal that is meatless.  Why?  Because the great day of rejoicing when "dawn from on High shall break upon us" is to come and we must "gird" our appetites and sacrifice, to be filled with the abundance and majesty of the Christ-Child.

If you are reading this, either by chance, or intention, and have not gone to church in a while.... GO!  Do not be afraid.  And after you go for Christmas, go every Sunday, and wait, patiently, to be imbued with the grace of the Holy Spirit.  Moreover, if you don't want to go for yourself, then go for someone else and offer your time at Mass for the intentions of another soul.

Oh, the joy of Thy coming, dear Jesus! how great it must needs be, when the prophecy says it shall be like an everlasting crown upon our heads. And could it be otherwise? The very desert is to flourish as a lily, and living waters are to gush forth out of the parched land, because their God is coming. Come, O Jesus, come quickly, and give us of that water, which flows from Thy sacred Heart, and which the Samaritan woman, the type of us sinners, asked of Thee with such earnest entreaty. This water is Thy grace; let it rain upon our parched souls, and they too will flourish; let it quench our thirst, and we will run in the way of Thy precepts and examples. Thou, O Jesus, art our way, our path, to God; and Thou art Thyself God; Thou art, therefore, both our way and the term to which our way leads us. We had lost our way; we had gone astray as lost sheep: how great Thy love to come thus in search of us! To teach us the way to heaven, Thou hast deigned to come down from heaven, and then tread with us the road which leads to it. No! there shall he no more weak hands, nor feeble knees, nor faint hearts; for we know that it is in love that Thou art coming to us. There is but one thing which makes us sad: our preparation is not complete. We have some ties still to break; help us to do it, O Saviour of mankind! We desire to obey the voice of Thy Precursor, and make plain those rugged paths, which would prevent Thy coming into our hearts, O divine Infant! Give us to be baptized in the Baptism of the waters of penance; Thou wilt soon follow, baptizing us in the Holy Ghost and love. -- Dom Gueranger