Catholic Radio Dramas

Homily on The Great Season of Advent

From a pastoral letter by Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop (1538-1584)

The Season of Advent

Narrated by Frank Dugan, Huntington Beach, California

Beloved, now is the acceptable time spoken of by the Spirit, the day of salvation, peace and reconciliation: the great season of Advent. This is the time eagerly awaited by the patriarchs and prophets, the time that holy Simeon rejoiced at last to see. This is the season that the Church has always celebrated with special solemnity. We too should always observe it with faith and love, offering praise and thanksgiving to the Father for the mercy and love he has shown us in this mystery. In his infinite love for us, though we were sinners, he sent his only Son to free us from the tyranny of Satan, to summon us to heaven, to welcome us into its innermost recesses, to show us truth itself, to train us in right conduct, to plant within us the seeds of virtue, to enrich us with the treasures of his grace, and to make us children of God and heirs of eternal life.

Each year, as the Church recalls this mystery, she urges us to renew the memory of the great love God has shown us. This holy season teaches us that Christ’s coming was not only for the benefit of his contemporaries; his power has still to be communicated to us all. We shall share his power, if, through holy faith and the sacraments, we willingly accept the grace Christ earned for us, and live by that grace and in obedience to Christ.

The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.

In her concern for our salvation, our loving mother the Church uses this holy season to teach us through hymns, canticles and other forms of expression, of voice or ritual, used by the Holy Spirit. She shows us how grateful we should be for so great a blessing, and how to gain its benefit: our hearts should be as much prepared for the coming of Christ as if he were still to come into this world. The same lesson is given us for our imitation by the words and example of the holy men of the Old Testament.

Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings

Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) was born at the family castle at Arona in Lombardy of a noble family in the year 1538. He studied at the Benedictine abbey at Arona and later studied civil and canon law in Milan receiving his doctorate in 1559 at the age of 21. The same year his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV. He was made Secretary of State to the Pope. In 1562 he was instrumental in having Pius reconvene the Council of Trent. Charles played a leading role in guiding it and in fashioning the decrees of the third and last group of sessions. He was ordained a priest in 1563 and consecrated bishop of Milan the same year. Charles oversaw the catechism, missal and breviary called for by the Council of Trent and instituted radical reforms, despite great opposition and was even wounded by an assassin. But he was so successful, his diocese became a model see. He put into effect measures to improve the morals and manners of clergy and laity, established seminaries, and founded the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for religious instruction of children. He increased assistance to the poor and needy and during his bishopric held eleven diocesan synods and six provincial councils. He helped mitigate the famine that struck Milan in 1570 by feeding three thousand people a day for months. When a plague struck Milan in 1576 Charles mobilized the clergy and religious to aid the stricken after the governor and other officials fled the city, and personally ministered to the afflicted. He was one of the towering figures of the Catholic Reformation, preaching against the heresies of Protestants all-the-while evidencing humility and personal sanctity in his efforts to reform the Church of the evils and abuses so prevalent among the clergy and nobles of the times. He died on November 3, 1584.