Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Advent is a season of preparation, and the Scriptures emphasize our need to prepare for the Lord’s coming. “Be watchful! Be Alert!” You do not know when the time will come (Mark 13:33).
Today we are consoled, as were the people of Israel during a time of great duress by the prophet Isaiah. “Comfort, comfort, my people.” (Isaiah 40:1). Further, St. Peter reminds us that the Lord does not delay in keeping His promises, and someday, be it a year, a millennium, or a “million” years, He will come. So be ready!
How, then, do we make ourselves ready for Him?
The herald of the Lord, John the Baptist, calls us, beyond the centuries, to repent. We must seek forgiveness from the Lord and, if need be, from one another. Our merciful Savior has assured us how we can be forgiven – Confession and Absolution.
What, after all, is more important? Decking the halls with boughs of holly or offering the Lord a purified soul cleansed by absolution? Be in the Divine Service to hear the absolution, and if you are troubled by a particular sin, meet with me for private Confession and Absolution.
There are so many meaningful plans and traditions of this season. And many of them are rooted in the valid message of this season. I pray that as you prepare your hearts and minds for Christmas, you hear the Advent message. Jesus is coming. Again!
“Be watchful! Be Alert!”
Happy Advent!
Pastor Hartwig