This Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, let us thank God for all the spiritual gifts he gives us.  Let us take a long hard look at the way we use those gifts.  Let us get to know God better and love him more through prayer, worship and Sacraments, and reading our Bibles.  Let us turn to God in penitence for past failures and ask him to help us serve him and our fellow human beings more faithfully in the future.  And let us be encouraged by the words of the psalmist:

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”.

“The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made”.

“The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down”.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth”.
(NRSV, Psalm 145:8,9, 14,18).

References

1. Footnote in The New Testament RSV Catholic edition (1965) London: Nelson.

2. Knox, R. (1948) The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, London: Burns Oates and Washbourne Ltd.

3. Quoted in http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/abrahamlin161523.html