The season of Advent has finally arrived as Dec. 2 marked the 1st Sunday of Advent. And it is not an accident that the new Church Year begins on the 1st Sunday of Advent as well, since Advent offers the wonderful opportunity to begin to experience the seasons of God’s grace as we follow the life of Jesus of Nazareth, from his birth in Bethlehem to his death on Calvary. And what’s more, the great mystery of Advent is our anticipation of the coming of Jesus when, in fact, Jesus is already here, among us, a mystery theologian Fleming Rutledge calls “the once and future coming of Jesus Christ.”

To mark the arrival of Advent, Father Peter is presenting three short evening “Advent Reflections” based on #AdventWord Meditations from Virginia Theological Seminary. Today’s Advent Word is Watch. Copies of the meditations will be distributed at each session and there will be time for conversation, individual reflection and prayer, and a final communal prayer.