My dear friends, when the Gospel of Mark says, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he is referring not to the beginning of time, but to our beginning in Jesus; the first time we encountered Christ and changed our lives forever, made us different people than we were.

Advent is a time to remember the whole history of God among His People. We share with St. Peter today his own experience with Christ when he says, ‘according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth; and in that waiting we are eager to be found pure and holy before him.

In these days of Advent, as we look to Mary, our waiting Mother. How does she wait; anxious, fearful, ignorant perhaps, indifferent? Not at all. Mary is active in her waiting. She is prayerful; she adopts the virtue of humility and reflection. She remembers the promise made to us by Christ to be faithful, to be kind and to be our way to salvation.

We too can remember our own covenant with God and in that memory of Him allow his glory to be revealed for our whole parish and for our community. People who come here, who visit us, who roam our mall and shopping centers. All of them wait for the coming of Jesus in their lives. “Isaiah says it: Be not afraid to cry out: Here is your God, He is like a shepherd who leads his ewes with care!”

John baptized with water, but you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Remember that in your homes and on the streets, in your schools, in the mall, in the shopping centers and in the work places of your lives. Advent is the time to remember the whole history of God among His People including today.

May our sharing in this holy mystery teach us to judge wisely the things of earth and to love better the things of heaven. Amen.