Faith

The hymns we hear during Advent are one of the season's greatest consolations.

These last few days of Advent draw us further into preparations, celebrations and "must do" activities. We might be feeling mighty frazzled, perhaps pulled in myriad directions, afraid we won't get it all done.

"If you would like to destroy pride, become humble. If you would like to become humble, be grateful. Practice gratitude."

This weekend we celebrate the third Sunday in Advent. One of the few times of the year that we see a unique color used in the liturgy, namely rose.

Advent is a "continuous call to hope," says Pope Francis. It seems, then, that a key aim of this pre-Christmas season is to focus attention on hope's immense importance for everyone.

Ever since I became a mom -- more than 20 years and four kids ago -- the Advent and Christmas season has taken on a whole different perspective for me. That perspective has opened up the meaning of the season for me and brought me closer to Mary in a mother-to-mother kind of way.

Every two years the U.S. Postal Service issues a traditional first-class Christmas stamp showing Mary and Jesus, and this year's stamp features an oil-on-panel painting from the first half of the 16th century titled "Virgin and Child."

It is an established fact that a pre-marriage preparation program enhances the probability of a successful marriage. Researchers report it statistically. Counselors and social workers know it empirically. Even the State of Minnesota acknowledges this. Divorces are a burden on the state, and to reduce them a discount is given on the fee for a marriage license for couples that show proof of participation in a pre-marriage program.