Weekend Wisdom - First Week of Advent
An Advent View from Amberly’s Window
Big flakes are falling outside my office window as I type these words weeks in advance of this first Sunday of Advent. In parish ministry, we anticipate the anticipation for most holy seasons!
I could hear the children squealing outside when they exited from their Catechesis of the Good Shepherd session into the snow. They may not have known what was coming, but there is always hopeful anticipation for the first snow and they certainly knew what to do when it arrived!
Christian Hope: A trusting expectation that nothing will separate us from God’s love.
As we start the next four Sundays of preparation, just like these children, we may not know or fully comprehend what is coming. We know that Jesus is going to be born, we know that at the same time we are waiting for Jesus’ second coming, but we don’t know exactly what that means. What will it look like? Will I be ready?
That’s why it is important to spend whatever waiting time we are given preparing our hearts. We may not know when or how Jesus is coming, but we want to receive Him when He arrives! This could mean using your little blue Advent book daily, cracking the spine of your Bible, participating in the sacrament of confession, spending some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, choosing and wrapping gifts while praying for your loved ones, taking walks in God’s creation and noticing the way the light matters, making cookies or meals to share with neighbors, and so much more.
What is the posture of your waiting this Advent? How will your soul respond to Jesus’ arrival? Whether Christmas or His second coming, how will you receive Him?
Will you be joyful and screeching?
Will you be concerned, worried and unsettled?
Will you be curious?
Will you recognize Him and what is happening?
Will you have sustenance and strength?
Will you be wondering if you’ve worthy?
Will you be wondering if others are worthy?
I would encourage you to think on the first lines of our beautiful Christmas hymn as you step into your Advent.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
The whole world WILL receive our King and nature WILL sing. What preparations are you making for what will overflow from your soul when the day of Jesus’ arrival finally comes?