This past Sunday, Jesus mentioned Noah and how many people at that time were unprepared for the coming flood. He compares it with the coming of the Son of Man, and warns us to be prepared for it. Noah heeded the warning of God, and prepared himself and his family for the coming flood. “Preparation” and “coming” are two common aspects of the Season of Advent.

We are to prepare ourselves for the three comings of Christ. The first and most obvious coming of Christ is the celebration of His birth on Christmas. Another coming that is easy to recognize is the coming of Christ at the end of time, which we heard about in this past Sunday’s Gospel. A more mysterious coming of Christ is into our hearts by grace and Holy Communion. The celebration of the first coming of Christ is to help us with the other two.

Here are some suggestions, in addition to a Jesse Tree, to help you prepare for the three comings of Christ. Consider gathering with your family around an Advent wreath for prayer on Sundays, or even better every day during Advent. Consider praying a mystery of the Rosary or even a full set of five mysteries with your family throughout Advent. Consider praying with the daily readings for Mass.

Consider going to an Advent Novena like the one at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, which starts tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30th at 7pm. The novena continues each night at 7pm through December 8th. Consider going to Confession and receiving the mercy of God, so that your soul is cleansed from the guilt of sin and you can more joyfully and worthily participate at Mass.

You can also consider increasing your Mass attendance to include some weekdays in addition to every Sunday. You can arrive early for Mass to help quiet your soul and focus on Christ. This will help you to better participate in Mass and better welcome the Lord at communion into the Temple of your body and into your heart. Lastly, consider spending extra time after Mass praying to the Lord, thanking Him for coming to us, for our salvation, and especially for the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

Let us be prepared for all three comings of the Lord, as Noah was prepared for the flood.

Musical credit:

"O Holy Night" · Christine Westhoff · Timothy Allen

Hark

℗ 2014 Christine Westhoff

The season of Advent is about hopeful expectation as we await Christ’s birth. This season gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect upon the mystery of Christ’s incarnation through the eyes of Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist, and Elizabeth. This season should also call to mind Christ’s second coming at the end of the world, where we will experience the fullness of the mystery of the incarnation with all the saints.

These two comings of Christ remind us that we must strive to live rightly here and now. Advent is a time to prayerfully prepare for living out and cooperating with the grace of God in our daily lives.

The first symbol on the Jesse Tree, the Apple in the hands of Adam & Eve, marks the beginning of the story of salvation. Their sin is the reason mankind has had to live with sin, and why we need Our Savior. They rebelled and were disobedient, but God continues to love them as He loves each of us. And so, God began to repair the damage they had done by preparing the world for His Son. This is the mystery of the incarnation and reveals the depth of Our Father’s love.

Whereas Adam & Eve sinned and were disobedient, Christ is entirely obedient to the will of the Father. He comes among us in humility to show us how to live in love. The new Adam, Christ, and the new Eve, Our Blessed Mother, reveal the obedience, the love, and the new life that comes from doing God’s will.

During Advent, let us reflect on all that God has done and is doing for us, and to reflect on our own sinfulness, but more importantly on the mercy of the Father and the mystery of His incarnate Son.

Musical credit:

"O Holy Night" · Christine Westhoff · Timothy Allen

Hark

℗ 2014 Christine Westhoff

O come thou rod of Jesse’s stem …

The Jesse Tree is a Catholic tradition for Advent. It’s especially suitable for children. But really, it’s a lesson for all of us.

For thousands of years God was preparing his people for the coming of Christ. The Jesse Tree walks us back through some of the most significant events and people of that history – one ornament on the tree for each of them.

Psalm 24 talks about Lifting up the Gates to let the King of Glory enter. That’s what God was doing though every person and event represented on the Jesse Tree – building up his people into a spiritual house, so that the gates of their hearts would be high enough to let Christ enter the world through them.

When we walk through the history of those people and events by using the Jesse Tree we’re not only expanding our knowledge of the faith, we’re letting God lift up the Gates of our hearts – making more and more room for the mystery of Christ to enter into our lives. That’s what Advent is all about.

In the coming days you’ll be learning about the different elements of the Jesse tree. Let it be a way of leaning into Advent. For thousands of years, God prepared his people for the coming of Christ in history. For the next four weeks, let’s prepare together for the coming of Christ in our hearts. The Jesse Tree is a simple – but at the same time profound – way to do that.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Musical credit:

"O Holy Night" · Christine Westhoff · Timothy Allen

Hark

℗ 2014 Christine Westhoff

On a brisk November evening more than 1,000 fans gathered at the CBC High School stadium to watch the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary Lions take on the "Clergy & Company" team in a soccer match during National Vocation Awareness Week. The seminarians were victorious, 2-1 over their priestly foes, but that wasn't the real purpose of the game.

Joe Kenny also joins the Catholic Gateway Podcast to provide an update on the successful sports teams representing some of the our local Catholic schools.

Homily on the eve of the 2016 Elections - Archdiocese of St. Louis by Archdiocese of St. Louis

On October 20, high school seniors in the Catholic high schools of the archdiocese – most of whom were soon-to-be first-time voters – were given a very special opportunity to attend an event called a “Teach-In” sponsored by the Peace & Justice Commission of the Archdiocese of St. Louis where they would learn more about forming their consciences from some experts in Catholic social teaching and moral theology, as well as learn some basic information about voting rules and regulations.

Fr. Brian Harrison, chaplain of St. Mary of Victories, also joins the podcast to discuss his newly-acquired U.S. citizenship (which means he'll be voting in the U.S. for the first time) and how to form one's Catholic conscience.

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson celebrated the annual White Mass on Sunday, October 30, 2016, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. The Mass is associated with St. Luke, the patron of physicians and surgeons, whose feast day is October 18.

Catholic physicians, nurses, physician assistants, emergency medical personnel, and other healthcare professionals and their families where invited.

On this episode, we explore the Catholic perspective on Halloween, its connection with All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and the respect we should have as Catholics for death and burial of the deceased. We’ll also learn about the origins and meanings of celebrations surrounding Halloween – or Dia de los Muertos, “the day of the dead” as it is called in Latin America. Joe Kenny also joins the podcast to discuss the effect of recent welfare reform in the state of Missouri.

On Thursday, September 29, a dedication ceremony was held to officially open the new location of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in the former chancery building next to the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. That's not the only good news for Catholic Charities though. They have recently begun a new initiative called "Pathways to Progress" which provides long-term case management services to those seeking a pathway out of poverty. On this episode we'll learn more about the program. Dave Luecking also joins us to talk about the 2016 election and the presidential debate recently held in St. Louis.

The 4th annual communications conference presented by the Office of Communications and Planning of the Archdiocese of St. Louis took place on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 under a new name: The #CatholicSTL Communications Colloquium.

The luncheon keynote was delivered by Fr. Joe Krupp, a priest of the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan and author of the popular "In The Know With Fr. Joe" column that appears in Catholic publications around the country.