It is an understatement to say that 2020 has been a challenging year! We can’t wait to turn the page and move on to a new year. For Catholics, that turning of the page happens a month before the secular holiday of New Year’s Day on January 1. We celebrate the beginning of our liturgical year on the First Sunday of Advent, which is only a few weeks away, on November 29.
Advent is always a season of hope, a season that reminds us never to lose sight of the hope we Christians are called to live with year-round. This year, more than ever, we really need to focus on hope! We have been bruised and battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, a polarizing election, racial strife, and so much more. In the face of such difficulties, we can easily fall into despair. The message of Advent, however, is that despair will not prevail because of the hope we find in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
In the next few weeks, catechists will be gearing up to introduce participants to the season of Advent. We at Loyola Press are ready to assist. We have a wonderful array of Advent resources (Advent calendars, Jesse tree info, etc.), many of them free, that can be found here.
Of special interest this year, we are proud to offer Advent A to Z, a special e-mail series that will explore Advent themes with inspiration following the alphabet. Featured authors include Jane Knuth, Christopher de Vinck, and Vinita Hampton Wright. Sign up to receive the daily messages from the First Sunday of Advent through Christmas.
As Advent approaches, may you be filled with abundant hope that you can share with those you teach and help to dispel the darkness of despair!
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