This first Sunday of Advent or the fourth before Christmas, is the first day of the Liturgical Year. The Mass prepares us this day for the double coming (adventus) of mercy and justice. That is way St. Paul tells us, in the Epistle, to cast off sin in order that, being ready for the coming of Christ as our Savior, we may also be ready for His coming as our Judge, of which we learn in the Gospel. Let us prepare ourselves, by pious aspirations and by the reformation of our lives, for this twofold coming. Jesus our Lord will reward those who yearn for Him and await Him: "Those who trust in Him shall not be confounded."
St. Andrew, Apostle (II Class)
St. Andrew was the first of the disciples to know Jesus. With his brother Peter, he was called by our Lord to follow Him and to become a fisher of men. According to Tradition, he was a missionary in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Russia, with his martyrdom in Greece, where he was hoisted upon a cross to die like his divine Master. He is patron of Russia and Scotland.
Today was spent recovering from last night's dinner, as well as in the enjoyment of the First Sunday of Advent. After Divine Liturgy, the ladies prepared a nice brunch at home while I brought in the tree and worked on setting it up.
You would not believe how much easier it is to set a tree up when you have one of those tree stands with screws that go into the sides of the trunk. Finding such a thing was quite an exciting development this year! After Maria and I took a long nap this afternoon, we decorated it with a simple purple ribbon (barely to be seen in the picture).
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