Advent, a time to prepare for Jesus
Some years ago I heard an Advent homily that still resonates for me during this time of the Church year. The homilist shared something he was doing to help him appreciate the true meaning of the season. For that Advent he would slow down and stop at every yellow light and wait patiently for it to turn green. This little exercise hopefully would remind him of the people of God who waited so long for the Messiah to come and save them.
Advent is always a good time for me to reflect upon the virtue of patience and how much I need to exercise it in my often hectic life.
Like many people in our society, waiting does not come naturally to me. Our culture promotes instant results. Commercials tell us we can lose ten pounds in ten days if we do such and such. We often gobble down our meals or eat on the run so we can rush to our next activity. We take medicines that promise quick relief from whatever ails us and look for the express check-out lanes in the grocery store. We upgrade our computers so they go faster and faster. Slow traffic and slow people tend to frustrate us. Even God does not often answer our prayers on our timeline. It boils down to the fact that many of us do not like to wait too long for anything or anybody. We want to see results right away.
Advent affords us the opportunity to exercise the virtue of patience. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of this often-frenetic pre-Christmas time, the Church gives us the opportunity to slow down and to reflect upon the true meaning of the season. We celebrate the coming of Jesus at his birth and the fact that he will come again, and we also celebrate the many ways he comes to us in our daily lives. Like the Hebrew people, it takes patient waiting and a quiet spirit to discover God’s presence in our daily lives and in other people and events. Now, more than ever, we need to eke out those quiet times when we can calm down and reflect upon God’s activity in ourselves and in our world. Without patience and willingness to wait, we may miss his presence in our lives.
When we constantly are in a hurry we miss the beauty of nature or the twinkle in the eyes of a child. When we rush from one activity to another we may not see the people around us who silently cry out for our attention and assistance. When we are too busy to pray or just to be with the Lord we miss the deep peace and sense of security and trust that comes with a close relationship with our God.
Yes, Christmas is coming, but so does God come every day in people and events. Let us strive to slow down so we do not miss the One who loves and saves us. Say a little prayer the next time you wait for the light to turn green or are in a long line while shopping for Christmas. Take time to remember the gift of life in Jesus that God has given to each of us.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, browse our “Living the Faith” archive to read some of Sister Margie’s past reflections.