"The liturgy of Advent...helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an 'advent,' a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously." St John Paul II

For most of us, Advent is a time to buy gifts for Christmas, put up festive lights, celebrate Christmas and then move on in our life. We are not that conscious of Christ's coming in the present moment of each of our lives and thus we are not preparing for his final coming in time for each of us. We miss the graces of his different comings in the present moments of our lives. We are too busy with life that we fail to recognized Life when he comes to us.  Only an attentive heart that is longing for Jesus will become sensitive to his presence. Mary Magdalene was searching for the body of Jesus at the empty tomb. Jesus comes to her as the Risen Lord, not a dead corpse. When  he speaks her name, she recognized that it was the Lord. That recognition resulted from her seeking him in love. Seek the Lord in love. Long for the Lord in love, so that your spiritual eyes may be able to recognize him in the present moment.