svdpBy Cathy Goretsky
Where do we begin our Advent reflection this year, Lord? All around us there is news of terrorism, death, anger, uncertainty and financial loss. People are frightened. We can’t see beyond the daily bad news it seems, and our focus is on our problems and not on the coming celebration of Your birth. For most of us, I think, the season of Advent will take us by surprise this year. We are still processing the recent election results and wondering what the future holds for our families and for our country. Daily we hear on the news about the Federal Government taking actions that involve billions of dollars and we wonder if we are going to be able to pay our mortgage or our rent next month! The stock market numbers go up and down until we are dizzy trying to figure out what it all means. We desperately need to change our focus, Jesus. Use this season to draw us closer to You, and help us to see that You are the light that will guide us in this dark and shattered world.
During Advent, we are called to enter a time of spiritual preparation. Mary and Joseph certainly had to prepare well for Your birth because they knew they would be in a place distant from their home and their family members when the time came for You to be born. The preparations we make in our homes can be used to help us re-focus too. Just last week my grandchildren helped me to look through all of my “Christmas boxes”. We took out all of the pieces of the artificial Christmas tree and the kids began putting branches in place and before I knew it, they had the entire tree assembled! Next came the colorful decorations and the pretty dishes and before I knew it, there was tissue paper all over the floor and the entire room was beginning to take on a holiday look.
This week we have gathered with our family and friends and shared our thoughts about the things that we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is a good start to our Advent preparation because it is a time when we do stop to focus on the good things we have experienced during the past year. It is a time set aside to give thanks to God; the One Who has provided the bounty that we enjoy.
As we begin the preparation for Christmas, let us take some time each day to think about what the celebration is really all about. The presents are nice. The decorations are beautiful. The music is heavenly, but if we are not careful we can get caught up in the frenzy of shopping, writing cards, wrapping gifts and spending more money than we should. Lord, we ask You to help us to focus on what it means that You came to live among us as a tiny baby. Help us to remember the sweetness and softness of a new baby, and to realize that the helpless infant in the crib is coming to us once more, unworthy and sinful as we are. This little child is coming to bring us peace. He is coming to bring us hope. He is coming to teach us how to love one another.
Jesus, we long for You and the gifts that You bring to us. Come soon, Lord!
Amen
12/01/08
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