Do you have an Advent Practice? I believe some has their own little advent practices. I remember a friend who will really stop and control herself from smoking during the season of Advent and I saw how hard it was for her to do so….maybe that was her way of offering. I’m also doing a particular practice for years now which helped me a lot in my own journey as a religious.  This is aside from the community Advent Practices that we are doing.  Everyday during the Season of Advent, I scribble on a piece of paper a word or a phrase, actually a list of “VIRTUES which I believe I need to work on and pray for …..then roll it and place it in a container. And on the last day, the Christmas Day (with prayer activity) offered it to the LORD for He alone can work wonders…for “by myself I can do nothing and with HIM, I can do all”.

Does it make any difference? Maybe! All that is needed is discipline, vigilance, conviction and perseverance to whatever practices we are doing.

Pope Francis says during the Angelus on the First Sunday of Advent: “Advent encourages us to reflect between our daily routine and the unexpected coming of the Lord. The Gospel is not trying to frighten us, but to open our horizons to further dimensions, giving meaning even to everyday occurrences.” Advent therefore is an invitation to vigilance, because, not knowing when He will come, we must always be ready to depart. During Advent, we are called to enlarge the horizons of our hearts, to be surprised by the life that is presented to us each day with its newness. In order to do this we need to learn to not depend on our own securities, our own established plans, because the LORD comes in the hour which we don’t imagine. (radiovaticana.va)