A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! A little girl was heard praying the Lord’s Prayer and saying “Forgive us our Christmases.” Perhaps, many of us need to pray that prayer. On the first Christmas, there was no room for the Lord Jesus in the inn. Today, for many, there will be no room for Jesus as well. Do I have room for Jesus? Do our various institutions have room for Jesus? Or do we put up thick walls and say “there is no room in the inn.”? It is that holy time of the year again when God calls us to take time to reflect on all that has gone before and what is to come.

The mid-point of Advent alerts us to issues of justice, equality, honesty and integrity. St. John the Baptist called the people to repentance so they can prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Through the Church, he continues to call people of every generation to enter into this inward decision to seek and receive God’s offer of forgiveness as the excellent way of preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ anytime He wants. But what does repentance looks like? What does it demand?