Advent 2-Minute Drill: Preparation

Listen to this 2-Minute Drill

Advent is a time of preparation, expectation and hope.  For the Brotherhood of Hope it is a special season.  This time of preparation, recalling the incarnation of God at Christmas when Jesus took flesh and dwelt amongst us. 

We take time during this season to prepare for the Lord’s coming again to bring us home to live with Him in glory.  And we prepare even now for the Lord to come into our hearts in a deeper way.  We prepare our hearts.  Cleanse them.  Make room within them so that God can dwell within them more fully.

It is a season of expectation and hope.  We prepare and we are filled with expectation and hope because we believe that Jesus wants to come to us anew.  And transform us with His love ever more fully.  For the Brotherhood of Hope, this is a special season.  As Brothers our very lives are focused on living as fully as we can for the kingdom of God.  And we eagerly await His coming again.  And we want to be ready when he does come.

We Brothers use the Advent season to prepare in a special way.  As the Lord has said in scripture, “Stay awake for you know not the time or the hour when the Lord will come.”  So, one of our practices in the Brotherhood is two Brothers will rise each night to do vigils.  Watching.  Waiting for the Lord.  Taking time to pray, to intercede, and also to pray for the special and individual intentions of each of the Brothers so that our hearts will be open to God in a deeper way. 

We take time during this season for deeper prayer, for setting aside other distractions, so that we are ready when the Christmas time comes to celebrate the Lord’s coming amongst us, but also so that we can be ready for the Lord to come and dwell in us in a deeper way and hopefully one day bring us home to heaven. 

May this Advent season for each one of you also be a time of preparation to make room in your hearts and in your houses for the Lord to be present.  To clear out some of the clutter, to be able to watch and wait and intercede, preparing your hearts for the Lord to come to you anew at Christmas. God Bless you.