This Lenten booklet, with its reflections drawn from the gospel reading of each day, invites us to deeper appreciation of how beloved we are to God. Its daily prayers and practices encourage us to share that love more freely, trusting that in our own struggles we are all on our way to Easter.
The strong opening chords of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" announce the season of Advent. From the Latin words venio, meaning "come," and ad, meaning "to," Advent means "coming to." The curious energy of Advent is the waiting for something that has already happened, the looking for something that is already here. It is both right now and not yet. Christians sing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," yet Emmanuel means "God is with us."