Welcome to December. Please permit me to begin this "letter" with the first verse and chorus of a favorite Advent Hymn of mine. 

We long to see Thee so

To see the newly born.

We long for Christmas morn

The sands of time run slow...

O come O come O come O come

Our Savior dear to be

O come O come O come

We have no King but Thee.

It was the Canadian-American singer and songwriter Neil Young who once wrote "when people start asking you to do the same thing over and over again, that's when you know you're way too close to something that you don't want to be near." 

It's the start of a new week, the beginning of the end of the twelfth month, the highly infectious and exhilarating December! It's a new year too for all Catholics as we begin another liturgical year. So while it is proper to say happy new month to you and yours, it is also very proper to say "Happy New Liturgical Year" to all Catholics reading this. 

The advent season comes with a "longing" as it prepares us for the coming of Christ; first at Christmas when we commemorate his birth into this sinful world, and at the Perussia when he comes in glory to make of us Saints in his Kingdom where we all "belong".

The core of the teachings and lessons from Advent is what is known in theology as eschatology: the end times - death, judgement, heaven and hell.

If there is one core message that is pushed to us, it is that we must be prepared for Jesus' coming and there are different ways to do so - prayer, fasting and alms giving. In doing these, we learn how to love God above all things and love our neighbors as ourselves just as God loves us.

Everyday of our lives should be dedicated to learning new ways to loving our neighbors whom we can see and thereby loving God who we see and serve in our neighbors. Never tire in doing good. In the end, it pays. 

Our God blesses us in many ways and therefore there are many ways we can praise, worship and adore him. If you have tried prayer, add praise; garnish it with charity and of course don't forget to obey constituted authorities.

As we long for him, may we eventually belong to him in his kingdom. May God make of us Saints worthy of his Kingdom. Amen.

May your December be delightful!

Stay Jiggy

Jisi