Lord, sometimes I fail to see how richly you bless me. Make me mindful of the abundant ways you pour grace into my life today. Give me insight through your Sacred Word so that I can respond with gratitude to the great things you have done, are doing, and will do. Amen.

God is clear in the Bible when He tells us what the goal of life is, namely to love. Now, this command is simple, but far from easy. If love is supposed to be out "goal," how do we get there? Love is not just the destination but also the journey.

So how do we get better at loving every day?

In the first reading, the Jews are in exile and feeling forgotten. The prophet Baruch is sent to be a voice of hope for the future. The psalm reminds us of all God has done as a way of increasing our gratitude in the present and building hope for the future. St. Paul tells the Philippians in the second reading that they must continue to move forward in love, that their goal should be for love and virtue to increase more and more!

What does all this have to do with the Gospel? Because when Jesus comes, perfect Love takes flesh. This is the moment we have all been waiting for and for which history was preparing our hearts. Advent is the building of anticipation toward this event - the drawing near to Love coming (down) to us. Christ's birth, life, and death are the apex of human history - Love has come!

Tiberias Caesar was the Roman emperor from roughly 14-37 AD.

Pontius Pilate (whom you know from the Passion narrative) was the Roman procurator who governed Judea, Samaria, and Idumea until 36 AD.

Herod Antipas is the son of King Herdo the Great, who sought to have the baby Jesus killed.

The prophet Baruch is writing to the Jews in the time of their exile. Feeling lost and abandoned by God (even though they are the ones who broke the covenant with Him), they are mourning in despair. Baruch tells them to shed their clothes and posture of mourning and "put on" the splendor and glory of God. This is the divine"wake-up" call where God tells His people that better times are coming soon, so it's time to stop sulking and be hopeful because their Everlasting God is coming for them!

St. Paul mentions his "joy" with the people of Philippi in the second reading. Joy, which is a shortened form of "rejoice," is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and one of the central themes of the letter to the Philippians as St. Paul mentions it several times (1:8, 3:1, 4:4, 4:10)

1. When have you had to give up something small in order to gain something better? What did you learn? Was it worth it?
2. Ask yourself, "what must I give up in order to follow Jesus [more closely]? What will I gain when I do?"
3. What does St. Paul mean when he challenges is to "discern what is valuable" (Phil. 1:10)? What does our world consider valuable, especially this time of year? Is it worth our time and attention? 
4. What is this "good work" that God begins in us (Phil. 1:6)? How have you seen God at work in your life lately?
5. What can you do to be open to the ways that God wants to increase His love and grace in your life this Advent?

This week, fast from something or give a material possession away for each of the remaining weeks of Advent. We often associate fasting and alsmgiving with Lent, but as we move toward Christmas, fasting anf almsgiving are great ways to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Write down your commitment for the final two or three weeks of Advent. Ask someone to hold you ccountable for the commitment.

This week's reflection comes from Ascend, a companion to the Sunday Mass Readings published by Life Teen International, 2015.