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November 30, 2020Catholics around the world today celebrated the first Sunday of Advent, also known as Advent Sunday, which starts the liturgical year and the time of spiritual preparation for the coming of Christ. In his Advent Sunday homily, Archbishop José H. Gomez shared a message of hope and a reminder that God is with us “even in our sufferings.”
“As Pope Francis said this morning, Advent, which prepares us for Christmas … it is a time of expectation and a time of hope,” said Archbishop Gomez as he began his homily at the 10 a.m. Advent Sunday Mass livestreamed from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. “My brothers and sisters, Advent is about getting ready for our Lord to come. But it is also a reminder that he has already come. He has already entered into the reality of our human existence, and he is still with us. Advent reminds us that Jesus is always arriving. In the people he sends into our lives. In the challenges we face every day. In the burdens we carry. Even in our sufferings. And Advent reminds us that God is faithful! His love for us is true. Let us never doubt it. This is why he sent his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the world in the first place. To share our sufferings, to walk with us and strengthen us.”
Archbishop Gomez closed his remarks reminding the faithful to be “on the look-out” for God. “He is all around us! He is with us. If we watch for him, if we stay alert — we will see his love everywhere around us.”
The Archbishop’s homily can be found on the new Advent webpage for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, lacatholics.org/advent2020. The Advent 2020 webpage provides the faithful with prayers, music, videos and other resources for Catholics to celebrate the season of Advent safely at home and online during the pandemic.
The Archdiocese is also calling on Catholics to pledge to put time aside for prayer, together as a family, and share how they are preparing spiritually this advent season by using the hashtag #ItStartsAtHome.
To see the livestream recording of the Advent Sunday Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gomez, visit: https://fb.watch/23GBkxIXqZ/.
Parishes, schools and ministries of the Archdiocese are encouraged to share widely the information on the Advent 2020 webpage to provide the faithful in your communities with the resources to unite in spiritual preparation remotely during these challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May our community of faith be filled with hope and strengthened by God’s loving mercy as we prepare this Advent for the coming of our Lord on Christmas.