While celebrations and decorations begin to shape the holiday landscape spreading a form of cheer everywhere, the Church declares on this first Sunday of Advent – “The End is Near!” We know that in our bones. As Jesus points out the wars, pestilence, destruction, and cosmic threats of his age, they all sound a little too close to home to bear. Maybe that is why we need all the decorations – to distract us from the truth. So what is the good news? Jesus has some thoughts on that subject.