In our gospel for today we hear Jesus pointing out the different ways we can see and experience the presence of God at work in the world. Pointing out the blossoming of the fig tree the Lord says, "...when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near." (Luke 21:30) Our Lord is reminding us that God is ever present around us and we need to take time to always live in the presence of God.
There's an old saying that goes, "Take time to smell the roses." Very often we go through our lives worrying about the things we need to get done. We worry about getting to work on time, we worry about the bills that need to be paid, we worry about our spouses or our children, so on and so forth. Further, especially during the month of December, we are so worried about getting thing ready for Christmas. There are the Christmas parties throughout the month, there's the Christmas shopping we feel we need to get done. There's always something that needs to be done and as a result it takes our attention away from the real reason for our lives and why we celebrate Christmas: the presence of God in the form of Jesus Christ born into the world for our salvation.
As we go through the busyness of our lives, whether it's preparing for Christmas celebrations or whatever else we worry about, take time out to be quiet and alone with the Lord. Take the scripture readings that are assigned for each day, find a quiet time and place to sit and read, and just make time for God, knowing that God is near to you as you read from scripture. That will help you to focus on the true reason for the season: Jesus Christ. This will give you the true peace that can come from remembering that God is not only near but living in your heart.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for addressing REAL LIFE in which we have the everyday stresses of time pressure, work, concern for & trying to help our family members & friends, & then to add to the stress: whatever chores we believe we need to get done to get ready for CHRISTMAS & trying to get organize & squeeze in time to get even more things done!!
As a happily celibate single woman living alone I have it a lot easier than most people, because for the past 20 years I have been able to eliminate most of the chores I don't like, so I don't clean, I don't decorate (I have a few manger scenes I keep up all year), I only write Christmas cards to accompany gifts I either mail (checks or gift cards) or give in person, my gift list has been reduced to a maximum of 25-30 people, & I use gift bags & tissue paper instead of wrapping paper. I enjoy shopping for the baby clothes I give for our Parish Giving Tree & I also participate in the Parish Gift Card to a Seminarian, both of which are due in early December. But as the Christmas shopping/Advent season approaches (Christmas decorations & "hype" start earlier & earlier, but now that my gift list is smaller I wait until the beginning of December) I still tend to feel stressed & overwhelmed. Eventually I enjoy shopping & giving gifts--I love the spirit & am NOT a "Scrooge", but I still feel the time pressure.
What I enjoy the most is singing in the choir for LESSONS & CAROLS and MIDNIGHT MASS, for which we in our choir have been practicing since the end of August. That is my JOY, that focuses on the real meaning of Advent & Christmas & it is what I love to do!
It's hard to make Advent a time of quiet reflection & spiritual preparation at a time when our "TO DO LIST" is longer than ever, so sometimes it seems that this becomes an added pressure. But I do feel that participating in LESSONS & CAROLS for about 90 minutes on the second Sunday of Advent (we usually do it one week earlier at St. Margaret's) is like providing an OASIS of PEACE in the midst of a very busy world & very busy season!
Thanks to Bishop Barron I get a daily e-mail with his Gospel reflection with a link to the USCCB website with the Scripture readings of the day, so I read the daily Mass readings every day throughout the year. I also read reflections from the FRANCISCAN MEDIA website every day. So I start my day with several prayer related e-mails!
This year FRANCISCAN MEDIA has published a little booklet of daily Advent reflections based on the writings of St. Clare of Assisi, as they did for Lent last year. So as Formation Director, with permission of our Local Minister, I ordered 30 of these booklets for our fraternity members & gave them out to members last Monday at our fraternity meeting. So I look forward to reading the first one tomorrow, the first day/Sunday of Advent. Tonight after the 4:30PM Mass our parish (St. Pancras) is having our annual Festival of Lights where we light the Parish Christmas Tree & Christmas decorations, sing Christmas Carol's & have hot chocolate & cookies.