Delayed gratification is when we resist the temptation for immediate pleasure in hopes of getting a more valuable reward later. Humans are no good at that. We know what we want and we want it now. But the truth is that this way of being is detrimental to us and we’re suffering because of it. Luckily, we know our Messiah will bring healing to the world, and we can help by demonstrating patience and kindness. Building the kingdom on earth might not bring us rewards today, but we know that our reward will be in the kingdom of heaven!

We are called to live in the world but not be of the world. One way we can do that is by recognizing the horrible realities mankind faces, while still maintaining a vision of what the world should be! We also need to do what we can to make that vision a reality, and one of the best ways to do that is by accepting one another the way Jesus loved and accepted us. During Advent, we’re not just preparing for the baby Jesus - we're preparing for Jesus’ entire life and ministry, and all the hope and challenge that comes with it!

The focus of our readings this week is “preparation,” but we have to figure out what that means. The Gospel shows it’s possible to attend to the tasks of this life while preparing for the next. St. Paul suggests we clothe ourselves with Christ. And if we keep in mind the image of peace from Isaiah, then we've got a pretty good idea of what we need to work for. As Christians, we have to get out there, live good lives, see the world as Jesus does, and then prepare for His coming by building the Kingdom here on earth!

The Lord calls certain people to be leaders, and the gifts of the Spirit can help them be extremely successful, whether we understand God’s choice or not. Jesus Christ was before all things and through him, all things were created. So, even though the people didn’t know it at the time, God sent us the King we need, because heaven and earth are held together in Jesus. And no matter how great any other leader might be, none is greater than Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe!

Many people look at today’s readings and see images of doom and gloom. These descriptions of fire, punishment, famine, and war seem to paint a depressing picture of the future - but that’s not the point. As Christians, we’re called to act with justice every day and contribute as much as we can to the benefit of all. We’re called to listen to the teachings of Christ and not dwell in the past or worry about the future, but live in the present and build the Kingdom of God on earth!

With so many angry, judgemental, and seemingly hateful people claiming to be Christians, it can be difficult to be a true disciple of Christ. But we need to face life’s challenges and choose Jesus. It won’t be easy, so we need to pray for each other and offer encouragement too. We’re not called to do this alone, so we need to show appreciation and say ‘thanks.’ And we need to remind each other of the most important thing - that not even death can end our relationship with our loving Father!

Our planet is in crisis right now. Creation is crying out - and most of humanity isn’t listening. God loves creation, so we should too. According to St. Paul, the best way to praise God is through works of faith, so why aren’t more of us responding to the crisis facing the earth, our common home? The self-righteous are busy pontificating about sexuality and gender while the world burns. They may label and condemn you for not hopping on their culture-war bandwagon, but if the self-righteous cast you out, Jesus will find you!

Humility is an important quality for Christians, but it’s not a quality that’s rewarded in our society. Yet we are called to approach the Lord from a place of humility. If a person is poor or marginalized, humility may come more easily; but for those of us who have much, true humility is harder to achieve. We might find ourselves abandoned by others at times, especially when we're sharing the Gospel message of love and radical acceptance - and humility can be easier to achieve during moments like that. But the bottom line is that we must find a way to be humble before the Lord!

As Christians, we should understand the power of persistence, but sometimes we can’t achieve our goals alone, so we need the help of others. We’re also called to be persistent in the questioning, correcting, and teaching... of ourselves, so that we can then be careful and patience when sharing the Gospel message with others. And we must be persistent in our prayer, and never lose heart - because our God will eventually ensure that justice is done!

The readings today are about the power of faith - with a focus on the healing power that faith can have. But putting our faith in God can be tricky because we want to do it on our own terms. We have faith that God will do some specific thing for us or we have faith that God will make everything work out just fine. St. Paul tried to tell us, sometimes we’re going to suffer and that’s okay. At times like that, we just need to persevere. Because if we have faith and stick with God, then God will stick with us!