O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Today marks the beginning of the Church's Liturgical Year with the Season of Advent. Advent is not only about joyfully commemorating the birth of the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. Advent is also about awaiting his return with prayer and joy.

The Church Liturgical Year is a beautiful way to grow and watch the passing of the year. It is fitting that our Church Year begins with the waiting and then birth of the Christ. Our lives don't culminate at Bethlehem and the Nativity. Rather, that is where our lives truly begin with the Incarnation of the God-Man, Jesus Christ. At the beginning of every year we joyfully and prayerfully await the commemoration of his Birth, the moment when Heaven touched Earth. This season is not an end, it is THE Beginning. It points us from the Manager to Calvary and Jerusalem. It points us to Galilee. It points us to His return.

Merry Christmas, but first, a joyful and prayerful Advent as we wait for His Coming.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

I would strongly recommend as spiritual reading this Advent Season, Bishop Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ. It is a masterpiece and is an example of Bishop Sheen's brilliant and clear insight that made him so loved.