When you think of Advent, what do you think about? Do you think of shopping, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations or Christmas cookies? Do you think of the children’s presents, Santa Claus, or all the work you have to do?
Well, most of us probably think of all of the above, but that’s from a worldly perspective. Advent should make us think of the most important event in all of the world history – i.e., the coming of our God! The Incarnation literally means God becoming flesh! Advent, indeed, needs to be a time of preparation in two areas: the first a proximate preparation for Christmas when we celebrate the birthday of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and secondly a preparation for the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the world. In Christ’s first coming, He came in poverty, hidden, lowly, but in His Second Coming, Our Lord will come in great majesty and glory to judge the world.
In Advent which literally means “coming” we need to focus, focus, focus because all around us the world is going in one direction and we need to be going in the opposite direction.
We need equilibrium during Advent that will help us balance activity with spirituality. This, my dear friends, is not an easy thing for us to do. However, we have Our Lady as a wonderful example to help us. We recall her leaving her home, pregnant with Jesus and making the arduous journey to take care of her cousin Elizabeth and help her give birth to St. John the Baptist. She had to wash the dishes, cook the meals, clean the house, help Elizabeth with the baby and probably a million other chores.
On the other hand, we see Our Blessed Mother in the silence of her maternal heart preparing for the birth of her Divine Son. Of course, her Magnificat – her song of praise as the Angel Gabriel appeared to her was the fruit of prayer and meditation as she prepared her soul to be the Mother of God.
She had already spiritually said “Yes!” to God so that when the Angel Gabriel appeared, she could say “Fiat!” “Yes!” to becoming the Mother of Jesus, Himself.
This is the example we all need during Advent – to be so “contemplative” so “prayerful” that our souls are fertile to say “Yes!” to all God sends us. This is the essence of Advent – EQUILIBRIUM! Balance out your shopping with your prayers, your cookie making with your devotions, your Christmas wrapping with your meditation. And, let us pray to Our Blessed Mother:
“O, Mary, conceived without original sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”