Finish Off Strong

“O come, O come, Emmanuel!’

During the Advent season, we Catholics hear this phrase many times. So many times, in fact, that it is easy to ignore the true meaning of what we are saying. Christ comes to us every year, presenting himself in the most gentle of ways. An infant, a child, waiting for us to receive him in our hearts.

This is what the Advent season is all about. We are waiting in anticipation and wondering how Christ will change our world at his birth. When we say the words ‘O come, o come, Emmanuel,’ we are asking Christ to enter into our hearts. We are asking him to change our world. We ask him to save us all from the power of evil and redeem us. Are you ready for that?

Prayer and reflection are one of the most powerful things we can do. I love to reflect on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary during the season of Advent. Imagine what it would have been like for Mary to carry her child, the savior of the world, to Elizabeth. Imagine what Joseph felt when he could not find a place for Mary and the babe, and knowing the chaos of the world Jesus would be born into.

Finishing Off Strong

Theology of the Body Rosary Meditations and On a Mission to Love, written by Debbie Staresinic, are both truly a blessing this season. It helps us delve deeper into understanding the mysteries of the Joyful Mysteries and also our role in each of these mysteries. What if we were in Mary’s shoes? Are we ready to say yes to Christ and allow him to change our world? Will we let him breathe into us His spirit?

It is easy to get wrapped up in the whirlwind of the Christmas season. We fight the crowds at the grocery store, we check to see if we have all the gifts we need, we rush to clean our homes. All of those are good, but let us not forget to fight through the cobwebs of our heart. To check in and make sure we have let go of what holds us back from receiving Christ’s gifts, and let us rush to His side this Christmas morn.

Don’t yet have one of these rosary books? CLICK HERE to discover more. We are praying that all those in our Rooted family experience the warm, beautiful, embrace of the Christ Child throughout this blessed season with your family and friends.