On_PRP this_DT0 first_ORD Sunday_NP0 of_PRF Advent_NN1 ,_PUN we_PNP celebrate_VVB the_AT0 beginning_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 new_AJ0 liturgical_AJ0 season_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 church_NN1 ._SENT We_PNP now_AV0 prepare_VVB to_TO0 officially_AV0 remember_VVI and_CJC give_VVI thanks_NN2 for_PRP the_AT0 birth_NN1 of_PRF Jesus_NP0 ,_PUN our_DPS Lord_NN1 and_CJC savior_NN1 ._SENT 
This_DT0 is_VBZ no_AT0 surprise_NN1 to_PRP anyone_PNI ._SENT For_PRP some_DT0 time_NN1 now_AV0 ,_PUN all_DT0 the_AT0 stores_NN2 and_CJC TV_NN1 commercials_NN2 have_VHB told_VVN us_PNP that_DT0 Christmas_NN1 is_VBZ coming_VVG ._SENT But_CJC of_PRF course_NN1 their_DPS focus_NN1 is_VBZ more_AV0 on_PRP buying_VVG gifts_NN2 rather_AV0 than_CJS on_PRP adoration_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Christ_NP0 child_NN1 ._SENT Those_DT0 three_CRD wise_AJ0 men_NN2 had_VHD no_AT0 idea_NN1 the_AT0 trend_NN1 they_PNP would_VM0 put_VVI into_PRP motion_NN1 ._SENT 
Our_DPS focus_NN1 is_VBZ on_PRP God’s_NP0 gift_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 divine_AJ0 presence_NN1 incarnate_AJ0 in_PRP Jesus_NP0 ._SENT He_PNP was_VBD born_VVN of_PRF humble_AJ0 origins_NN2 and_CJC destined_VVN to_TO0 fulfill_VVI the_AT0 promises_NN2 made_VVN in_PRP the_AT0 Hebrew_AJ0 scriptures_NN2 ,_PUN like_PRP the_AT0 passage_NN1 in_PRP today’s_NP0 first_ORD reading_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP today’s_NP0 gospel_NN1 reading_NN1 ,_PUN Jesus_NP0 talks_NN2 of_PRF his_DPS second_ORD coming_NN1 and_CJC tells_VVZ us_PNP to_TO0 be_VBI vigilant_AJ0 at_PRP all_DT0 times_NN2 and_CJC to_TO0 pray_VVI ._SENT 
So_AV0 Advent_NN1 has_VHZ a_AT0 double_AJ0 meaning_NN1 ._SENT We_PNP celebrate_VVB the_AT0 birth_NN1 of_PRF Christ_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC we_PNP wait_VVB in_PRP hope_NN1 for_PRP his_DPS return_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF time_NN1 ._SENT 
As_CJS a_AT0 child_NN1 ,_PUN I_PNP remember_VVB asking_VVG my_DPS father_NN1 if_CJS he_PNP thought_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 world_NN1 would_VM0 come_VVI soon_AV0 ._SENT He_PNP told_VVD me_PNP ,_PUN “_NP0 Don’t_NP0 you_PNP worry_VVB about_PRP the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 world_NN1 ,_PUN worry_VVB about_AVP when_CJS you_PNP die_VVB ._SENT That_DT0 is_VBZ the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 world_NN1 for_PRP you_PNP ._SENT ”_NP0 
I_PNP have_VHB since_AV0 learned_VVN that_CJT we_PNP are_VBB called_VVN to_TO0 give_VVI an_AT0 account_NN1 of_PRF our_DPS life_NN1 every_AT0 day_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP the_AT0 seminary_NN1 ,_PUN we_PNP had_VHD an_AT0 evening_NN1 exercise_NN1 called_VVN “_NP0 the_AT0 examination_NN1 of_PRF conscience_NN1 ._SENT ”_NP0 We_PNP were_VBD asked_VVN to_TO0 review_VVI the_AT0 activities_NN2 of_PRF our_DPS day_NN1 in_PRP light_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 commandments_NN2 ._SENT I_PNP still_AV0 find_VVB this_DT0 an_AT0 excellent_AJ0 time_NN1 to_TO0 thank_VVI God_NP0 for_PRP the_AT0 day’s_NN1 blessings_NN2 and_CJC ask_VVB for_PRP ways_NN2 to_TO0 improve_VVI ._SENT 
God’s_NP0 incarnation_NN1 ,_PUN or_CJC presence_NN1 in_PRP Jesus_NP0 ,_PUN is_VBZ a_AT0 beautiful_AJ0 mystery_NN1 to_TO0 contemplate_VVI at_PRP this_DT0 time_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 year_NN1 ._SENT Jesus’s_NP0 experience_NN1 of_PRF God_NP0 ,_PUN his_DPS unity_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 Creator_NN1 ,_PUN is_VBZ part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 message_NN1 he_PNP wanted_VVD to_TO0 share_VVI with_PRP all_DT0 of_PRF us_PNP ,_PUN not_XX0 just_AV0 in_PRP words_NN2 but_CJC in_PRP our_DPS own_DT0 experience_NN1 ._SENT Jesus_NP0 invites_VVZ us_PNP to_TO0 experience_VVI that_DT0 oneness_NN1 ,_PUN that_DT0 unity_NN1 of_PRF spirit_NN1 ,_PUN he_PNP had_VHD with_PRP God_NP0 ._SENT 
He_PNP saw_VVD this_DT0 divine_AJ0 spark_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 people_NN0 he_PNP met_VVD ._SENT It_PNP did_VDD not_XX0 matter_VVI if_CJS they_PNP were_VBD male_AJ0 or_CJC female_AJ0 ,_PUN Jew_NN1 or_CJC Gentile_NN1 ;_PUN all_DT0 have_VHB God_NN1 in_PRP them_PNP and_CJC are_VBB worthy_AJ0 of_PRF love_NN1 and_CJC respect_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP India_NP0 ,_PUN Hindus_NN2 greet_VVB each_DT0 other_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 expression_NN1 “_NP0 Namaste_NP0 ._SENT ”_NP0 I_PNP am_VBB told_VVN that_CJT means_NN0 “_VVB the_AT0 God_NN1 in_PRP me_PNP greets_VVZ the_AT0 God_NN1 in_PRP you_PNP ._SENT ”_NN1 Advent_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 time_NN1 to_TO0 celebrate_VVI in_PRP a_AT0 particular_AJ0 way_NN1 the_AT0 God_NP0 present_NN1 in_PRP each_DT0 of_PRF us_PNP ._SENT Celebrating_VVG Christmas_NN1 is_VBZ also_AV0 a_AT0 reminder_NN1 of_PRF God’s_NP0 presence_NN1 in_PRP each_DT0 of_PRF us_PNP and_CJC in_PRP all_DT0 of_PRF creation_NN1 ._SENT 
Maybe_AV0 the_AT0 stores_NN2 and_CJC commercials_NN2 have_VHB got_VVN it_PNP right_AJ0 to_PRP some_DT0 extent_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP is_VBZ all_DT0 about_PRP the_AT0 gift_NN1 ;_PUN not_XX0 what_DTQ we_PNP buy_VVB for_PRP one_CRD another_DT0 ;_PUN rather_AV0 how_AVQ we_PNP acknowledge_VVB one_PNI another_DT0 as_CJS gifts_NN2 from_PRP God_NP0 ._SENT We_PNP are_VBB called_VVN to_TO0 give_VVI ourselves_PNX to_PRP others_NN2 as_CJS Jesus_NP0 has_VHZ done_VDN and_CJC continues_VVZ to_TO0 do_VDI through_PRP us_PNP and_CJC all_DT0 people_NN0 of_PRF goodwill_NN1 ._SENT 
