The Sermon on the Mount is at the heart of Jesus's preaching the Kingdom of God.  Jesus presents us with a demanding challenge to live a truly holy life.  At the same time, however, he assures us of God the Father's love and constant care.  

The Baptism of Jesus speaks to us of his incredible humility.  Without being a sinner, Jesus plays the role of one by letting himself be baptized by John the Baptist.  Humility unlocks our ability to love God and others.  It protects our peace and joy.   

The Magi follow the light of a star to reach Bethlehem and worship Christ.  We too must be aware of the lights that God sends us to bring us closer to Jesus.  These lights vary in nature and appearance.  To be constant in following the light that is Christ, we also need to be aware of other lights that could lead us away from Him. 

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Christmas puts before us the Virgin Mary loving and caring for her Divine Son.  It's a scene that we can enter into in our prayer and in our life.  Jesus says that we too are "his mother" insofar as we do God's will.  God allows Mary and all of us to love him in the Christ child just as He has always loved us: with a mother's heart.  Christmas is a time to begin life again with a newfound trust in the goodness of God.

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Closing in on Christmas we contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation.  Mary's humility and openness to God's plan are inspiring and truly mysterious.  She offers us a recipe for our own life as Christians: attentiveness in prayer, humility based on contemplating God, and readiness to do His will. 

In the Incarnation, the Infinite God becomes finite, limited, even small.  The Word is made flesh and begins his earthly life as an infant, as a little thing.  In the spiritual life, little things are also a dwelling place of God.  Little deeds, ordinary tasks, and everyday moments are all opportunities for us "to seek Christ, to find Christ, to love Christ", who is present but hidden in each circumstance.  

Advent is essentially a time of preparation.  To prepare for Jesus is to make our souls and lives more welcoming places for him to arrive.  This entails conversion, confession, a real change of heart and mind.  The changes that Jesus can bring about in our lives and in the world are truly incredible.  To let him do this, we need to be on board with the program. 

Advent is a time of patience and hope.  Both of these virtues entail waiting.  Waiting for God is sometimes very difficult, especially in trying situations.  Our faith in Jesus, who is God with us and faithful to his promises, bolsters our ability to wait for him with joyful hope.  Our faith overcomes the tribulation of the world and even makes us peaceful in the face of possible persecution.  

Christ's supreme manifestation as King will come when he returns to judge the living and the dead.  Until then, we have to remain patient with his will for us.  Jesus uses his power to serve others and he hides his power in order to suffer for sin.  At times, we might naturally wish for him to establish his kingdom sooner, putting an end to evil and suffering.  But we should always trust in his plan for our holiness and redemption, which is that we follow the longer and slower path that he himself followed.  

Jesus often calls us to vigilance.  We know neither the time nor the hour of his second coming and the time of our own death is certain but unknown to us.  The best preparation for our judgment is found in discerning and doing the will of God.