{"id":36453,"date":"2018-11-20T12:06:01","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T04:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aranzazushrine.ph\/home\/?p=36453"},"modified":"2018-11-20T12:06:32","modified_gmt":"2018-11-20T04:06:32","slug":"advent-what-is-it-that-i-want-to-prepare-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aranzazushrine.ph\/index.php\/2018\/11\/20\/advent-what-is-it-that-i-want-to-prepare-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent: What is it that I want to prepare for?"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image force_fullwidth=”on” use_border_color=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”http:\/\/aranzazushrine.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/article_advent_prep.jpg” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Image Caption” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font=”Arial||||” text_font_size=”12″ text_line_height=”1.3em” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_padding=”||30px|” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” \/][et_pb_text use_border_color=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]\n
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At this time of\u00a0year\u00a0we are bombarded with so many commercials by those who want to sell us all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas \u2013 lots of food and a multitude of gifts. How many of these commercials have Christmas carols in the background?\u00a0When we stop and listen, we soon realize\u00a0that the music in the background has little or nothing to do with the image in the foreground.<\/b>\u00a0In fact, they are often in direct contrast to one another! Away in a manger, no crib for a bed? Buy this one!<\/div>\n
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This video is similar only in that it has a wordless Christmas carol as the backing music. The difference is that\u00a0in this case\u00a0the music has everything to do with the pictures we see. The words of\u00a0O Come, O Come Emmanuel<\/em>\u00a0(a hymn with its roots in the 8th<\/sup>\u00a0Century) remind us of the Old Testament prophecies about the promised Messiah. The images show us the life of Jesus, God\u2019s Son, who\u00a0fulfills\u00a0those prophecies. Central to the video is Mary,\u00a0woman\u00a0of prayer who is open to God\u2019s word in Sacred Scripture, who treasures all these things in her heart.<\/p>\n

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Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas: everyone seems to agree about that. But in the hustle and bustle of buying gifts, writing letters to Santa, and making cranberry sauce, as\u00a0Christians\u00a0we must remember that true preparation for Christmas takes place in our hearts<\/strong>. What we are preparing for is the coming of God\u2019s Son into our lives and our hearts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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