Second Sunday of Advent
The second reading for this Sunday is one of the letters that the apostle Saint Paul wrote to the Christian Church in Philippi, Greece, the first Christian Church established in Europe. As I prayed to the Holy Spirit about what to share in this blog, I started thinking about how letters were such an important way of communication at that time, and how people used letters to express what they felt. This is a letter full of love and peace. Saint Paul speaks of holiness and Christian unity. He expresses the love that he has for them, the love that Jesus taught us, a love for God first and for our neighbors as ourselves.
In this letter Paul asks them to remain firm in the Lord. He implores them to live in harmony with each other. To live by the Gospel and the teachings that Jesus left for them and for us today! That despite what happens, we must focus and remain in the good.
In this life, and maybe even more so in the world we live in today, it is difficult to remain in the good, it is difficult to maintain peace day by day – but we cannot give up! We have to draw upon the Lord, to pray, and more than ever be close to God. God already knows our requests, since He is always with us, but He awaits our participation through prayer. We must continue saying yes, just as the first followers of Jesus did.
We know of the courage of all those first preachers of Christ, His disciples and apostles, those who decided to spread His word. But imagine too, the fear they must’ve felt being judged, persecuted, even killed. It is because of their trust in the Lord, their steadfast courage, and the Holy Spirit that always enlightened them that we know who Jesus is today.
Just like them, let us decide to remain in the love of Christ, in His peace, in His goodness and not be afraid to announce and share the Gospel. Let’s remain in the good and in constant prayer. We live in a world that really needs it. Just like the apostle Saint Paul, let us send love letters to all those who are in need and be a way for them to return to Him.