Are you ready for Advent? - New Evangelizers

Something wonderful is about to happen to you. Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. As you ready for his joyful coming?

Jesus said to his disciples:

Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. (Luke 12:35)

Advent reminds us to stay ready to serve our Master when he arrives. Do you feel ready for your Master to come and knock? Are you ready to immediately open your heart? Are you excited? Anxious? Grateful?

Signs of his coming

He wants to give you something amazing, and he’s trying to get your attention. With all the secular signs of Christmas in the streets and malls and on the Internet, it’s refreshing to walk into a church and see the purple banners and the Advent candles surrounded by a wreath of greenery. Do you sense the coming of something magnificent? Are you as excited as a child on Christmas Eve? Vigilant as the shepherds? Expectant as the kings?

In our parish, the kings progress from the Advent wreath on the right side of the church to the almost life-size crèche on the far left side. Beginning Christmas day, they advance a few feet each week until they complete their journey on Epiphany. This procession reminds us of our Advent journey to the manger and extends our Christmas joy.

Something wonderful is happening

The kings traveled far and waited long, in faith, to discover their Savior. How expectant they were! God got their attention with the star, and they knew something wonderful was about to happen.

Something wonderful also is about to happen to you. Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. As you ready for his joyful coming? How do you feel about Jesus coming to give his life for you? Coming to give his body and blood and everything he is to you? Coming to give you every spiritual gift you need to live a life of holiness? Do you feel worthy? Repentant? Joyful? Do you have expectant faith that God will come to you and bring you the gift of himself? Are you ready for him?

(© 2016 revised 2018, Nancy HC Ward)

Nancy Ward

Nancy HC Ward, author of Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story, was once a shy convert. She has spent decades writing about conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith. After earning a journalism degree, she worked for many years for the Texas Catholic (newspaper of the Diocese of Dallas) and the Archbishop Sheen Center for Evangelization, and later began her own editing service. An active member of the Catholic Writers Guild and a regular contributor to a number of high-profile Catholic publications online, she also has a busy blog on spirituality called Joy Alive.net. She’s a contributing author to The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion. Now, through her Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story workshops, retreats, book, and DVD, she shares her conversion story at Catholic parishes and conferences, equipping others to share their own stories.