Happy New Year to you, but without fireworks. I have not gone crazy wishing you a Happy 2012 before Christmas, LOL.

In the Church the new year begins with the arrival of Advent: Year B, dedicated to the Evangelist St. Mark. Advent is time of preparation and sanctification of the Church for the birth of the Lord. Today, my day begins hearing our founder, Monsignor Jonas Abib, speaking of this new time and the importance of preparing oneself well for Christmas. As community, we assume this time as a pentitential moment where small attitudes demonstrate the interior choice of conversion and preparation of the heart for the arrival of the Savior.

In Adoration this afternoon, Jesus drives me to abandon the old woman and embrace with the New Year, a new life. The self reviewing in small things as complimenting, smiling, welcoming, in the middle of running the day to day. My challenge is to live each moment as being unique. Loving them that are at my side with gestures. It is so good when someone that we know that loves us expresses this with words, with an embrace, a phone call, a better form of preparing the coming of the Lord is to love.

That Holiness of my life may hasten the Lord, and He will come soon!

Ana Lucia