St. Pope John Paul II
Pope 1920-2005
Third Sunday of Advent
Yes, dear brothers and sisters, our Christian communities must become genuine "schools" of prayer, where the meeting with Christ is expressed not just in imploring help but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, listening and ardent devotion, until the heart truly "falls in love". Intense prayer, yes, but it does not distract us from our commitment to history: by opening our heart to the love of God it also opens it to the love of our brothers and sisters, and makes us capable of shaping history according to God's plan.
Novo Millennio Ineunte, Par. 31, 32
"Shaping history according to God's plan"...That's a beautiful sentence! It seems to reverberate within our beings because as Christians, we all of us wish to see God's entire plan fulfilled upon the earth where He is the one true King and we are the citizens of His kingdom; free beings living in intimate communion with our God and in communion with each other. Prayer is what roots us in this truth and enables us to begin tasting this reality here and now. (Linda - December 12, 2021)