The Sunday next before Advent AD 2025

The last Sunday of the Church Year directs our eyes to the soon-to-beginning Advent season, which is not merely a time of preparation for Christmas, but has fundamental significance in terms of our past, present, and future.

Advent speaks of the coming of the Lord – two thousand years ago through the incarnation of the Son of God, as well as at the end of time when He returns in His glory and power, and also of His coming to us and into us again and again through His Holy Word and the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of His Most Holy Body and Blood.

Today’s prophecy from Jeremiah reminds us that the Lord is our Savior and King, and encourages us that He is righteous and will make us righteous too: “This is His name whereby He shall be called, the Lord our righteousness.” He lives and He wants us to live too – and He has come and done everything to make that happen.

Of course, Advent is also a time to prepare for Christmas. And Christmas is a time for giving and receiving gifts. The greatest gift is the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. While today’s Gospel tells of Jesus feeding five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish, this is only a sign of what He actually came to give, and not only to the chosen ones, but to everyone: He came to become the Bread of Life, by partaking of which we inherit eternal life. He has come to save us and be our righteousness.