“It’s never going to happen. The northern lights never show up.” Do we feel that same way about Jesus coming again? This time of Advent is, yes, about preparing for the celebration of Christ’s birth, but also the season where we’re able to prepare our hearts, our spiritual life, our moral life, so that we are ready to meet Jesus when he comes.

Mother Teresa made this line in Sunday’s Gospel very famous: “...you did it to me”. She called it the Gospel on five fingers. We are called to love the people in our life - the hungry, thirsty, homeless, ill, those in prison. Vague intentions, positive thoughts, sympathetic emotions - these are not the same as actions. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

God wants more than just an hour. He wants all of us. How can we glorify the Lord by our life?

Do we put Confession off? “I’ll go during Advent, or during Lent.” Do we put our relationship with the Lord off? “When I retire I’ll dedicate more time to the Lord.”

He wants a relationship with you now. Don’t put off until tomorrow what should be done today.

When we are prideful we turn inwards, to ourselves - "pride is because they see no other hope for their happiness, save in themselves". Humility is turning outwards toward God, asking him for help. It is actually in humility and meekness that we will find what we are longing for.

When we see that stranger in the grocery store, that person on TV, is there hate that comes into our heart? Or is there love? In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus tells us, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. It’s a message we need to hear and need to live. We live in a polarized world, but we are called to love our enemies. By doing this, we are transformed, and the world is transformed.

Who are we living for? The world and worldly goods or for God, who has chosen us to be His people?

What does Taylor Swift have to do with accepting God's invitation to the wedding feast?

What is the produce from God’s vineyard? It’s you. We are his children whom He loves. He wants us to enter into this relationship with Him, not because he needs us, but because we need him.

We profess the creed at Mass and say “I believe”. We say “Amen” before receiving Holy Communion. If we leave the church and don’t live this out, though, are we truly meaning yes? Let us live out our ‘yes’ every day of our lives. May we not put off growing our faith life until another day, another month, another Lent, another year.