There are a few things that are sure to happen in December other than Christmas parties: shopping; gifts; trash and traffic jams. However, you can be prepared for Advent this year by doing some of these suggestions.
1. Go to an Advent Recollection
There are a lot of parishes offering a recollection for Advent and you could reserve some of your time attending one. Sometimes, there may be a Kumpisalang Bayan during the recollection organized by the parish or the diocese. Even if there's no Kumpisalang Bayan but there's a recollection or vice versa, it is an opportunity to reflect deeper the coming of our Lord in the manger. Sneak in going to confession too in the next few days.
2. Read the Gospel of Matthew and Luke
If you haven't read the Gospels before, you can start with the scenes of Jesus' birth and really read them while reflecting on them unlike just watching a movie about it. You may start with the first two chapters of Matthew and then you can go forward to the first two chapters of Luke. A nice summation of the characters and the waiting mode of advent is given by Bishop Robert Barron.
3. Before and after the Simbang Gabi, try attending the weekday masses
Daily mass is done in every parish even despite the novena masses before December 25. When you get the habit of attending mass more than with just Sunday mass, you'll be able to follow the readings more, you'll understand the liturgy and the church seasons, and a more profound and personal union begins to grow in you with Christ in the Eucharist. After the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, there are other marian feasts like the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto (December 10) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) where you can have mass and understand Mary's role in the church better.
READ: St. Josemaria Escriva on the Sacrament of Reconciliation
4. Give stuff to the less fortunate
Because they need it more than we do.
5. Build a Belen in your house
Other than a Christmas tree and a parol, add a belen. It doesn't have to be gigantic and life-sized or peppered in gold hay. You'll know what I had realized when you start arranging the manger and figured out that it's supposed to be the basin for animal food, the sabsaban.
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