A rich and powerful season of the Church year.

We are so blessed to be Catholic and to have the liturgical calendar to keep us focused on our faith. It is times like this that we really need to grasp the rich and powerful season of the Church year. To be honest we often miss Advent's power because these December weeks are full of secular Christmas parties and preparations for Christmas that you would think would draw us closer but at times it does just the opposite.

Each year, the busyness of this season serves to distract us from having an Advent season that truly prepares us for the celebration of Christmas, with all its meaning. It is not even Thanksgiving and we are already seeing Christmas in stores and ads out there for our children to make their wish list.

Over the next four weeks I will be posting from a site that offers simple ways to enter into this Advent season, week by week, in the midst of our everyday lives.

Don't be worried or anxious.

These resources are simple and friendly. You won't need to rush out and get an Advent wreath if you don't have one. You won't need to make your family recite prayers that don't seem to fit where you are.

These reflections are for adults.

They are prepared, however, to draw children in. They are resources to help us adults with the un-named anticipation or longing in our hearts. They allow us to enter into the experience of our darkness and therefore to give glory to God for the Light.

Praying Advent website helps our journey

Want some help for the Advent journey? The Praying Advent website offers a Daily Prayer for each day of Advent, based upon the new Collects of the New Roman Missal. In addition, there are family Dinner Prayers for Advent, help for parents and for people caring for parents. There are even audio reflections and a few audio retreats. All, brief and intended for busy people - to help make our Advent full of grace. Just Google "Praying Advent 2011." or click here.