 Holy Mother Church paints for us today, by her liturgy of Advent, the picture of Christ's coming, and the dominant thread in the great detail of this tapestry of beauty which she is weaving is that of courage. The Divine Office of the Church is filled with the notes of joy, hope, and courage with which the soul-awaiting Christ should be animated. In the Epistle in Gospel, we hear again the dominant note of courage inspired by a strong faith, a lively hope, and an ardent charity. In the Epistle, St. Paul, the Great Apostle to the Gentiles says, Brethren, whatsoever things were written, were written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope. Again, the Great Apostle exhorts us to rejoice. In the day's Gospel, we are exhorted to have faith in Jesus. For the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. Here is the groundwork of our courage, a deep faith in Jesus Christ. Finally, the third of the three virtues must be manifest in our courage. Charity. This greatest of the virtues makes us most like unto God, who is love, just as the lack of it makes us most like unto the devil, who hates so fiercely. Like Christian warriors of old, fully armored in faith, hope, and charity, which constitute the armor of God, by advent, prayer, and penance, we will find our courage renewed. Despite the hardships of life and the perversities of men, we will take up arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them, for God is on our side. Come, Lord Jesus, we pray, come into our souls, renew our courage with deep sentiments of faith, hope, and charity. The world needs your advent. My soul needs your advent. Dear Jesus, teach me to forgive even my enemies that I may be forgiven. Show me the true motive of love which binds up the wounds and refuses to count the cost. Calvary is our great lesson. Help me to reflect upon it every day of my life. Bethlehem and Calvary are cycles, returning over and over again and teaching me of God's love and forgiveness. The babe at Bethlehem and the God-man on the cross, both the one and same divinity, extend arms of love and mercy. Grant me the grace to embrace and comply with the graces of each that you offer to me daily. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.