Patient Preparation begins with the story of St. Anne and St. Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and grandparents of Jesus, the Savior of the World! Through the eyes of Anne, we hear her pleas for the Messiah, her yearnings for a husband who will help her honor the Lord, and her wistful desire to have children. Through ardent prayer, penance, and fasting, we watch Anne patiently wait upon the Lord. Like Anne, we never know when or how Jesus will answer our prayers. Therefore, it is imperative that we stay awake, be attentive, and wait with the utmost patience for God to act. Carol and Kristen draw from Anne’s example and urge all to grow in patient, but active, preparation.
Patient Preparation can be presented in isolation or it can be paired with Hopeful Preparation and Joyful Preparation to create a three-night Advent Mission.