The Fourth Sunday of Advent, the time we prepare for the joyous arrival of Jesus... and the annual return of our collective paranoia over invisible germs. This year, as we light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, we're also dusting off our masks, sanitizers, and our Zoom accounts, because, we can't be too careful with all these "new" pandemics that keep popping up like holiday decorations.

At one time, Advent was about preparing for Christ's birth. Now, it's also about preparing for another round of "Pretending We Still might be in a Crisis." Virtual Celebrations are back because, Jesus would approve of us celebrating his birth through a screen.

This Sunday should be all about peace, love, joy, and hope. But let's not forget the new commandments at Outdoor Gatherings where we can shout carols into N95 masks, because nothing says 'Silent Night' like Filtration Efficiency.

Advent traditionally calls for introspection, but now we're also reflecting on whether we've sanitized enough. Masking and Hygiene are the new sacraments. Because nothing says "I love my neighbor" like hiding behind a mask and six feet of separation at the communal meal.

We used to gather in churches, but now we gather in our living rooms, checking for symptoms before we dare to sing. Testing and Symptom Checks are the new way to show we care, ensuring our community gatherings don't turn into super-spreader events.