St. Joseph of the Lakes

I now have three stations on my satellite radio that are playing constant Christmas music. I am not sure, but I think if I looked for it I would find on regular radio at least one station dedicated to Christmas music. As I am watching more daytime TV I am watching the Christmas shows of each of the reruns. It is very difficult to honor the season of Advent as the society we live in wants to anticipate the Christmas season. We have just lived through “Black Friday”, “Small business Saturday”, and “Cyber-shopping Monday”. All these are in anticipation of giving gifts on Christmas Day. It is some sort of preparation for Christmas, but not really the spiritual invitation that the season of Advent opens up toward.

If it is possible to take a few days off to either go to a retreat house or even a tiny vacation moment this is more the invitation Advent is offering. Not so much the manic “I’ve got to get my shopping done” as much as a pause in the action to take a deep breath to imagine something better is coming. This is not only a stance toward Christmas Day, but also a life-long attitude that in the face of all the seemingly bad things that threaten us on a day by day basis, something better is coming. This is the expression of true Christian faith. It allows us to reach beyond our own needs to look at the needs of others and to risk sharing our resources with them because something better is coming.

When we have no concept of the “Good News” of Jesus Christ it is hard to reach beyond our own needs and wants. The fear of who will take care of me becomes a driving taskmaster. We lose the freedom God intended us to have. When we arrive at this place we cannot avoid getting caught in the cares of the world, because there is no real hope that there is anything better; instead we live in the moment of anxiety and fear. Take a little time this Advent to touch that other place where faith leads us. There IS something better coming. It already has once, and He promises to come again.