We wait for the one who has already come. We long for the One we have already received. We prepare for the one who lives within us. As Christians, we believe that the Messiah, the long awaited one who was fortold in the Sacred Scriptures has already come. Yet, we wish to open our hearts, our lives and our homes that He may come anew.
Advent is a three-fold preparation.
First, we recognize that Christ was made man in the womb of the Virgin Mary and we prepare to celebrat with love, the feast of His birth. Secondly, we know that He promised to come again at the end of the world, and the end of time as we know it. We must collectively prepare, so that Christ will be welcomed when He comes again in glory. Finally, although we prepare for His final coming, reality tells us that He may call of from this world before His final and glorious return. We prepare our personal lives, so that we are prepared to meet Him whenever He may call us home.