Reflection Starter from Pope Benedict XVI

"Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent's intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church's year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart's memory so that it can discern the star of hope. . . . It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope." - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI)