We continue posting daily Advent reflections by the Church Fathers. It's a good way to prepare to celebrate Christmas. The reflections and quotations come from the book titled, by Marco Pappalardo. Introduction 'How sad, my children! Most Christians do nothing other than work to satisfy this ‘corpse’ that will soon decay in the earth, with no regard for their poor souls destined for happiness or unhappiness in all eternity. Their lack of spirit and good sense is chilling!' These words of the Holy Curé of Ars are truly powerful and bear all the suffering of a spiritual father and a tireless confessor. How wonderful it would be to reread them with a converted heart, replacing its key words with their opposites: 'joyful,' 'achieve the eternal fate of happiness we build while on this earth,' 'commitment to the soul,' 'lively and hopeful spirit,' and 'serene and inspired minds.'Basil the Great, Learn from the [gospel] example of the virgins. Indeed, having no oil left in their lamps, yet …