{"id":9723,"date":"2025-11-30T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T00:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/?p=9723"},"modified":"2025-11-30T03:46:58","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T03:46:58","slug":"jesus-matters-hope-is-an-option-advent-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-matters-hope-is-an-option-advent-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus Matters, Hope is an Option: Advent 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DiEWEj_8R5c?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Today is the first day of Advent. Among many other things, this season is a good time for remembering that hope is always an option: no matter what&#8217;s going wrong at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a name=\"celebrating\"><\/a>Celebrating the Moment When God Became One of Us<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20231112ff\/20231127-iss053e050422_lrg-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Photo taken by a member of the ISS Expedition 53 crew: '...the sweep of the coastline of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The cluster of lights at image center includes the major population centers of the Levant. The brightest lights are the cities of Tel Aviv in Israel, Amman in Jordan, and Beirut in Lebanon.....' (September 28, 2017)\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">City lights by the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Photo from the ISS. (2017)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>My culture doesn&#8217;t have a seasonal phrase like &#8220;Jolly Advent!&#8221;, which may explain why I could buy Advent calendars, but not Advent cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hallmark (merely links, I don&#8217;t get a cent if you click them \ud83d\ude09 )\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hallmark.com\/advent\/\">Advent &amp; Countdown Calendars<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hallmark.com\/christmas\/christmas-cards\/\">Christmas Cards<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, and quite a few other folks, today is the start of Advent. It&#8217;s a pretty big deal, which is one reason this household has an Advent calendar. It&#8217;s the same one we&#8217;ve used for I don&#8217;t know how many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for why Advent matters, it&#8217;s when we get ready for celebrating that moment in time when God became one of us. As I said, it&#8217;s a pretty big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pope St. John Paul II talked about that, and some current events, in 1998. Here&#8217;s a link to that, and some other resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Holy See \/ The Vatican<\/strong> (English)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/leo-xiv\/en\/messages\/pont-messages\/2025.html\">Calendar of Activities 2025<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/leo-xiv\/en\/messages\/pont-messages\/2025.html\">Pontifical Messages, Leo XIV, 2025<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/john-paul-ii\/en\/angelus\/1998\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_ang_29111998.html\">Angelus<\/a> Pope St. John Paul II (Sunday, November 29, 1998)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>USCCB<\/strong> (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/prayer-worship\/liturgical-year\/advent\">What is Advent?<\/a>&#8221; (Sunday, November 30, 2025 &#8211; Wednesday, December 24, 2025)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a name=\"advent\"><\/a>Advent, Christmas, and Jesus: a Very Quick Review<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/#small\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20160719ff\/20161223-547px-The_Shepherds_and_the_Angel-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Carl Bloch's 'The Shepherds and the angel' (1879)\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Shepherds and the Angel&#8221;, Carl Bloch. (1879)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Because this is Advent, I&#8217;ll be getting ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus: the man who is God, whose birth was announced by otherworldly beings, who died and then <strong>stopped being dead<\/strong>, and who offers forgiveness and life to anyone who accepts him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again: it&#8217;s a pretty big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve talked about that, why we need a Savior, and what&#8217;s happened over the last two millennia, before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/\"><strong>&#8216;Christmas Sermon for Pagans&#8217;: Viewpoints, Nature; and Hope<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; (December 23, 2023)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/#Christmas\">&#8220;A Christmas Sermon for Pagans&#8221;: No Longer Forgotten<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/#objective\">&#8220;&#8230; &#8216;Objective&#8217; Right or Wrong&#8230;.&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/#sing\">&#8220;&#8230;Sing and Feast Because a God has Been Born&#8230;.&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/\"><strong>Advent: Remembering, Being Vigilant, Doing My Job<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; (December 2, 2023)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#politics\">Politics, Ideas, and Technology: 20 Centuries in 138 Words<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#after\">After the Sixth Day: Still &#8220;Very Good&#8221;<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#human\">Human Nature: Good News, Bad News, and Original Sin<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#living\">Living With Consequences<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#sin\">Sin and Options<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#accepting\">Accepting God&#8217;s Mercy: Or Not<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-remembering-being-vigilant-doing-my-job\/#advent\">Advent: Getting, and Staying, Ready<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/\"><strong>Advent 2022: Remembering the Big Picture<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; (December 22, 2022)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#ordinary\">Ordinary Folks, Unique Events<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#artists\">Artists and Art, Telling a Story<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#zachariah\">Zachariah<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#joseph\">Joseph<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#Josephs\">Joseph&#8217;s Decision<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#righteous\">&#8220;A Righteous Man&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#Azariahs\">Azariah&#8217;s Prayer<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#mary\">Mary<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#best\">The Best News Ever<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/advent-2022-remembering-the-big-picture\/#donot\">&#8220;Do Not Be Afraid&#8230;.&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today is the first day of Advent. Among many other things, this season is a good time for remembering that hope is always an option: no matter what&#8217;s going wrong at the moment. Celebrating the Moment When God Became One &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-matters-hope-is-an-option-advent-2025\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"A quick look at Advent, Jesus, and what we celebrate this season. Plus links to Advent resources.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Jesus Matters, Hope is an Option: Advent 2025","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[215],"tags":[103,90,83,69],"class_list":["post-9723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-being-catholic","tag-advent","tag-holidays","tag-hope","tag-jesus"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Dwtw-2wP","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9723"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9727,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9723\/revisions\/9727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}