For-give

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,

may the peace of the Lord always be with us.
Another year has passed and in less than a month it will be Christmas.
It is the most beautiful time of the year. It takes us back to the past, to the memories of when we were children and the wait for Christmas filled us with joy for the holidays. We were curious about the gifts we would receive and happy for the time we would spend with our loved ones.

All this is still part of Christmas. But how do we now prepare as adults to celebrate the birth of the Son of God?
Do we remain still, simply waiting for the countdown, or do we turn our preparation into an eager expectation?

When we are eager for something or someone to arrive, we get ready. We dress properly. We think about how to behave and we prepare for any unexpected situations so that everything goes well.
And for this Christmas? How can we prepare our hearts?

As every year in this Advent marathon, we prepare to forgive.
We give ourselves to those who have hurt us. We offer them our prayers and blessings. We set aside resentment and hatred, which belong to the enemy of our souls, and we clothe ourselves with the Mercy of God, the act of love through which He gave us sinners the gift of His only Son, Jesus.

So how do we wait eagerly for Christmas?
By offering our hearts and welcoming the love of God that is born within us.

149th International Marathon of Prayer
for-give
30 November and 1 to 2 December 2025

www.72hoursforjesus.org