A few thoughts during Advent… December 2011


Christmas is coming, but before we get there, we have to be here, the beginning of Advent and a new Liturgical Year for the church. And what is Advent all about, why does the church give us these next four weeks?

Well, just as Lent prepares us for Easter, so too Advent should prepare us to celebrate Christmas in a more spiritual manner, to be more aware of what it’s all about, to be able to wake up on Christmas morning, and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his coming into our life, having prepared ourselves properly for it.

In the Gospel for the first Sunday of Advent Jesus tells us to be ready, to be watchful and to be alert. We do not know the day or the hour when the master of the house will come, and the master is Jesus himself.

And as you know this reminder to be watchful and alert has been the theme in the Mass readings over the past few weeks, they have been preparing us and leading us this season of Advent.

We know that we live in a very secular world, it’s so easy to get distracted, already the stores are being decorated, Christmas music is playing, and consumers are being tempted to buy things that they might not normally buy… but everything looks so pretty and well presented, it’s all so tempting, how can we resist…but we’re still in Advent.

In his letter to the Corinthians Paul also talks about gifts, but he’s not talking about the gifts in the stores that we’re tempted to buy. The gifts that Paul talks about are spiritual gifts, the gifts that come from God alone. For Paul the spiritual person is someone who is marked and guided by the Holy Spirit, not someone who wanders around town going to one store after another, being tempted by material things.

In writing to the Corinthians Paul, wanted them to understand that what he was teaching them does not come from human wisdom, but from the inspired words and wisdom of God alone, the spiritual gifts of God, what a difference.

And of course the gifts that Paul is talking about don’t come at Christmas either; they’re there all of the time, if we are open to receive them from the Lord. And with these gifts we await the revelation of Jesus Christ, and that revelation is manifested to us in the His birth on Christmas morning.

So as we begin Advent we are called to be prepared, and orient ourselves toward God. We have to look within ourselves at what needs to be changed in order to be ready, and take these next four weeks to better prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas.

Advent can be a grace filled time for us all as we reflect on the meaning of the Christmas story. It’s not all about decorations and gifts under the Christmas tree, big meals, Christmas parties… although they’re okay, and we should enjoy time with family and friends, but we also have to go a little deeper into our interior and realize it’s about our salvation. Jesus was born to bring light into a darkened world, and that light has to shine brightly every day, even more brightly than all of the Christmas lights that we see decorating trees and houses.

So let’s enter into Advent, this new liturgical year in wonderful anticipation of what is to come, and wait with confidence to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, and yes, even with all of the joy and excitement of the child that is within each one of us. As Mary and Joseph anticipated and prepared for the birth of their own child, Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, we too should be prepared.

Rev Aidan Gore, OSB oliv