Today, this Sunday, a new Liturgical Year opens with Advent, a Season of preparation for the birth of the Lord. The Second Vatican Council, affirms that the Church "in the course of the year unfolds the whole mystery of Christ from the Incarnation and Nativity to the Ascension, to Pentecost and the expectation of the blessed hope of the Coming of the Lord". The centre of the Liturgy is Christ, around whom the Blessed Virgin Mary —closest to him— and then the martyrs and the other saints who "sing God's perfect praise in Heaven and intercede for us" revolve like the planets around the sun.

The contemporary world above all needs hope: seeing so much false security collapse, we realize that what we need most is a trustworthy hope. This is found in Christ alone.

—Jesus is "flesh" like us and "rock" like God. Whoever yearns for freedom, justice, and peace may rise again and raise his head, for in Christ liberation is drawing near.