Tuesday: First Week of Advent -- 2009

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.

(Liturgy of the Hours, hymn for Morning Prayer, p 122)

Prepare for the "advent" of Christ in the fullness of his mystery, his coming in glory at the end of time. What does "the end times" mean for you, for me? How often do I seriously reflect -- for more than a fleeting moment -- on the end of "my time" on this earth? You were born with a God-gifted purpose that will not last forever. Each of us been allotted only a portion of whatever time God has given the world. Advent can be a wonder-filled season especially when we reflect on the abundance of love God share with us in the love of our families, the friendships of others who give so much of themselves to us, the world of "things" God has enabled others and ourselves to make for our well-being, the world of nature that so often lifts us from our sometimes closed minds to the awesome, yes, awe-producing power and beauty of the created skies, sunsets, mountains, streams, flowers, sunrises and on and on. The greatest gift is the coming of Jesus to you because his birth is God's pledge to you that his Son will be your redeemer, your savior.

Will you allow the Spirit of the Lord to rest upon your during these Advent days? Are you strong enough to bring a certain discipline (yep, that word!) into these four weeks of Advent? What discipline? The effort to give to yourself the time to share one part of each "advent" day with your inner spirit, to learn to know that you can be so filled with joy on Christmas day because you have opened our heart, your spirit to the Spirit and his guiding voice to you as you prepare yourself as a gift to God when he comes to you at the end of your time.

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