Advent is a season in the Christian calendar when we are invited to pray and reflect on the true meaning of God’s incarnation in our flesh and blood in the person of Jesus. To do that requires time and patience  -  two things that we have become expert at ensuring are in short supply. We choose to live our lives at such a frenetic pace that we rarely take time out for prayer and reflection, and reduce patience to an unfamiliar virtue, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

oday, as a community of people who claim to give our allegiance to Jesus Christ, we celebrate the reign of Christ in our lives. Our life experience tells us that we were born to love and be loved. As followers of Jesus, we do our best to love in imitation of him whom we acknowledge as the ultimate revelation of God, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

As we move towards the conclusion of our Church year, this Sunday’s readings invite us to stop and reflect on what we invest our time and energy, on whom we place our hope, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

The issue that confronts us all is not a matter of whether we will end up facing death with hope in a life hereafter. The real issue is whether our way of facing life here and now has the mark of authenticity about it; is valid, genuine and effective, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

This Sunday’s gospel story of Zacchaeus puts in front of us a mirror in which to gaze at ourselves. Are we with those who are quick to misjudge others because of their family history, their ethnicity, their sexual orientation, their profession or occupation, their past failures and mistakes? What’s our record of speaking out to defend those who are victims of gossip, prejudice, innuendo and false judgement? Are there people in our society whom we want to see locked in cells and never to be released? asks Christian Brother Julian McDonald.