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When secular culture talks about the "spirit of Christmas," typically it involves the "spirit of giving" or a basic generosity towards other people.
This certainly is a good and praiseworthy spirit to have at this time of the year, but the Catholic Church also invites all people to enter into the "spirit of Advent."
What is the spirit of Advent?
Generally speaking the spirit of Advent is a spirit of expectation, or longing for God.
Advent is a season that is designed to awaken in us a deep desire for God and his presence in our lives.
It is also a season of hope, when we watch and wait for the coming of the Lord.
Pope Benedict XVI composed his own prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to help revive the "spirit of Advent" in our hearts.
We can take this prayer as our own during this busy month of December and try to maintain both the "spirit of Christmas" and the "spirit of Advent" alive in us.
O Mary, Virgin of expectation and Mother of hope, revive the spirit of Advent in your entire Church, so that all humanity may start out anew on the journey towards Bethlehem, from which it came, and that the Sun that dawns upon us from on high will come once again to visit us, Christ our God. Amen.
