The day has come that I wish you all a Happy New Year. A new liturgical calendar has opened for our liturgy and worship. The days will pass by and before you know it, the time has escaped us. Suddenly it’s Christmas Eve night and all the wonders that come with it – reflecting on Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels singing, the shepherds in the field, the wise men beginning their descent from the east, all culminating in “Silent Night, Holy Night.” But wait! Are we even prepared for Christmas? Prepared for all of the beauty and wonder of Christmas? What should we be doing to prepare for the coming of our Lord? We tend to focus on putting up our decorations, trimming our tree, shopping for friends and family and eating every type of desert known to man. We already know how important these things are: meditate on our Lord’s impending birth, give to those in need, feed the hungry, clothe the homeless, be kind to others and appreciate what we have (gratitude). It may not be possible for you to go out to help the “homeless.” That’s fine – OK, then how about helping those in your own home? What ways can we prepare our hearts for the coming of Baby Jesus – in our own homes? How about patience – toward those nearest you? Be more willing to listen, less eager to criticize? Give of your time and your person and not necessarily of your money. We can also practice more patience with those outside of our homes – especially in stores or driving on the road (Christmas shopping traffic!). We can be more giving and patient toward those in the workplace. Maybe we can be less prideful and humbler. I wish all of us to take seriously, these 25 days of preparation for the great feast of Christmas. As Jesus reminds us in the gospel today: be ready for the day of the Lord’s coming. We pray in the psalms “lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my Joy and salvation: for you, I wait all day long” (Psalm 25:5). It time for us to put our hand in the hand of God and let God lead us. I always watch so joyfully little children walking, holding the hands of their grandparents. They have so much joy and peace on their faces. Advent is a time for us to do the same. The spirit of Christmas is around us but it’s up to us to have the same spirit in us. A life in prayer is a life with open hands where you are not ashamed of your weakness but realize that it is more perfect for a person to be led by God.
I ask you all please consider ten minutes to spend with Christ in these days of Advent. I’m sure you’ve heard it before; Christmas is a season for giving, then make it so: give to those in need. You are in need of God: so find time with God so he will nourish you. I’m sure you’ve heard that Christmas is a time for feasting, then make it so: help to feed those around you who can’t afford to do so. But at the same time, make yourself worthy to celebrate the spiritual banquet at the table of Christ. I’m sure you’ve heard that Christmas is a season of joy, hope, and peace, then make it so: grow in these virtues by putting them into practice with friends, family, neighbors and strangers. And most importantly find peace within you and embrace the joy.
During Advent let us once again reflect on who we really are and the only way in which we will achieve the happiness we seek. During Advent let us look beyond the fact that Santa Claus is coming to town and prepare our hearts and town for Jesus coming to town. We are God’s people and we will only have peace and happiness if Christ is at the center of our lives. Therefore, let us heed to what Saint Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. “May the Lord so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints…We urge you and appeal to you to make more and more progress in the kind of life you are meant to live.” (1 Thes 3:13-4:1)