Embrace the Gift of the Present: Journey Through Advent with Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace! Week 1

As we approach Advent, we are invited once again into a season of watchfulness, wonder, and holy attentiveness. This year’s Advent reflections, The Present of the Journey, centre on a simple yet profound idea: that God meets us not only at the destination but also in the very moment we are living now. Drawing on Scripture, Ignatian spirituality, and the beautiful poem included in the series — “there’s a present we’re offered in Advent, a gift that no money can buy” — each week invites us to slow down and receive the grace of the present moment: • Week 1: Hope — beginning the journey with trust. • Week 2: Faith — walking through uncertainty with God beside us. • Week 3: Joy — recognising God in the small and unexpected. • Week 4: Peace — resting in the stillness before Christ’s arrival. Each reflection includes a short Ignatian practice, an echo of the poem, and a focus point from the Holy Family’s journey.