Editorial

This Advent, let’s expand our minds and hearts and pray for a new world

“Advent invites us to a commitment to vigilance, looking beyond ourselves, expanding our mind and heart in order to open ourselves up to the needs of people, of brothers and sisters and to the desire for a new world.”
—Pope Francis, Angelus address, 2018

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of our Lord’s birth at Christmas. It is a time of expectation and hopefulness, and it also begins a new liturgical year.

While some primarily focus on family, friends and co-workers, it must be a time to focus on others as well.

As we approach the second week of Advent in 2024, we believe the message Pope Francis shared above six years ago is still very relevant.

And they are words we must unequivocally take to heart.

There are too many hungry and homeless people throughout society, looking for their next meal or a bed to sleep in. This way of life exists in central and southern Indiana, and we must open our minds and hearts to assist the less fortunate—especially as the brunt of winter approaches, which will bring bone-chilling temperatures and life-threatening challenges for our brothers and sisters who live on our streets.

If there is ever an opportunity to expand our minds and hearts to act as our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, the coming months are it, and we must answer that call. We’ve asked before, but it’s worth asking again: this Advent and beyond, donate to Holy Family Shelter in Indianapolis, Catholic Charities throughout the archdiocese, St. Vincent de Paul chapters in central and southern Indiana, and other reputable charitable organizations you know are helping the needy. Our brothers and sisters especially need these acts of kindness during this time of year.

If we are to look beyond ourselves, our commitment to be vigilant must also extend across the globe.

Too many of our brothers and sisters are in the midst of wars—most through no fault of their own—where they are dodging bombs and bullets and have their normal way of life disrupted. They wonder—but especially pray—that the chaos and uneasiness will soon end.

We, too, must storm heaven with our ongoing petitions for peace to come to those regions, especially as we approach one of the holiest times of the year. As we prepare for the anniversary of the birth of the Christ Child, wouldn’t it be awe-inspiring to see troops drop their arms and become instruments of peace? Let us pray we move closer to this each passing day.

Too many are still persecuted for their faith—including here in the U.S.—and we must bring an end to this injustice.

That may be too much to ask, but we believe the “new world” Pope Francis was desiring in 2018 is that sort of world: a society where people of all faith traditions, nationalities and cultures come together as one, seeing Christ in others and being Christ for others—loving their neighbors as themselves.

Six years later, there is still too much darkness in the world. Sin is a failure to love, and too many still cannot come to terms with loving the stranger.

As our shepherd Archbishop Charles C. Thompson has shared on many occasions, Jesus is calling each of us to discipleship. That includes emulating Christ in all we say and do with the help of his ever-present grace.

As we continue on our Advent journey toward Christmas, let us strive to be people of light.

Please Lord, as we do our part to change the world, may it be so.

—Mike Krokos