One of the greatest sufferings for human beings is to feel worthless when faced with the realities of life, to accept that at times we cannot do anything. To be an instrument in God’s hands means to make ourselves available, rediscover our own value in letting someone else do something, and learn the art of entrusting ourselves to others.

Learning to do good means learning an alphabet that allows us to intuit the will of God in our lives and go towards other people. It is an alphabet made of concrete action. Justice is the precious treasure to be sought, the desired gem and the goal of what we do.

Advent is a time for recollection, a time of waiting.  It is a time that wakes us from slumber and surprises us with the incarnation of a God who makes himself “small” to come and dwell among us. The mystery of Christmas brings us back to the essential, and welcoming Baby Jesus into our lives becomes an opportunity for each one of us to convert ourselves again and look at our daily lives with gratitude.

Put God at the centre of life and be assured that you will not waver.  We can experience a deep sense of consolation by  living  what is expressed in the words of this psalm –  a sense of feeing guided in our actions and knowing, deep in our hearts, that only He makes all things good.

Loving others by generating good, going beyond the objective limits that life imposes on us, beyond our prejudices, breaking down barriers to build fraternal bonds. This is the mandate of Jesus’ New Commandment, the hallmark of a Christian: reciprocity in love.

Proclaiming the Word is not only about speaking. It also involves practical actions that bear witness to belief in everyday life, in relationships with others and with creation. It is a mission: it invites us to be brothers and sisters – the image of the Kingdom of God in our time.