Advent "places us before the luminous mystery of the coming of the Son of God and the great 'benevolent plan' by which He sought to draw us to himself, to allow us to live in full communion of joy and peace with Him. Advent invites us, in spite of the many difficulties we encounter, to renew our certainty of the presence of God: He came into the world, in human flesh like ours, to fully realise his plan of love. And God asks that we too become signs of His action in the world. Through our faith, hope and charity, He wishes us to make His light shine anew in our night.”
-Pope Benedict XVI (December 5, 2012)