Advent can be busy…and it isn’t even Advent yet…but I am already busy…yikes! I guess one of the biggest challenges we face each December/Advent is how to make space for prayer, contemplation and being with Jesus. I can’t say that I am always the best example to follow because this time of preparation (Advent) is a time of many liturgical and Church things that must be done and cannot wait for when I am in a ”better place” to deal with them.
How do we make space? The easiest and truest answer is…we simply make the space. It is an act of the will and an act of discipline in our lives to take time and make the space for listening to the presence of God in our movement towards Christmas Day. It begins with the will and the choice of doing something or anything for that matter. I would suggest that the “thing” must stretch you spiritually. If it doesn’t do this then there is really little point to the practice because we are being called into a deeper conversation and conversion with God…therefore we must dig deeper than we feel comfortable with. Second, don’t be discouraged. Advent is only 23 days this year, December 2nd until the 24th…it isn’t that long. Third, we need to take the dive in to the prayer with someone as a spiritual companion. The easiest person is a spouse, a child, a parent or a sibling…the second easiest would be a friend or even someone who sits close to you at Church…it all works but the spiritual friend reminds us and encourages us to stick through the 23 days.
Three easy but challenging steps…1. Choose 2. Persevere 3. Seek help and give help. Okay, now go and do it.
First we choose…there a literally hundreds of Advent helps we can use. My suggestion is the prayer time be at the minimum 10 minutes. Doesn’t sound like a lot but it can be if we fill it with the voice of God. You might choose an online daily message (see below for suggestions) that may only take two or three minutes to watch or read. Then we slow down and take the time to reflect and maybe write a few thoughts down. We may choose to write a daily challenge or promise to help us remember the message of the day. Don’t short change yourself by watching or reading and then running back to life without taking time to talk with God. You may also find a print version/a booklet that has daily guides for helping us through Advent. Or we may use the daily Gospel or other reading from the Mass to pray with our Lord Jesus as we hear him speak to us in the quiet of our heart.
Second we persevere…we will miss a day or cut short our time or something else will get in the way…we can deal with this…because tomorrow will come. The biggest and greatest hurdle we can often face is our expectations and how we respond when we fail to live up to our own high expectations. Believe me, each Advent or Lent I enter into these seasons with this firm conviction: I will not miss one day or cut short one hour of my quiet time with God…and then things go sideways. It can be disheartening but we need to take up our prayers and once more follow him. Sometimes my most fruitful time of prayer comes after I have missed a day or gave God less than I should have because of my selfishness.
Third and most important seek help and give help…there is a reason Jesus sent out his disciples two by two…it is because we all need encouragement and help. A few years ago I began asking for help during Advent and Lent. I have a priest friend from another state and we email each other our brief thoughts each day. It isn’t hard and it keeps us both focused on the daily blessings of our time with the Lord. It is also beneficial because of the insights we share deepen our reflection and open our eyes to things we may not have heard because of our own hurts and sins.
We are a people called to holiness and prayer is the road of holy love of God and neighbor. Please take time to pray and seek others and invite others to pray with you.
God Bless
Fr. Mark

 

 

 

 

online resources.

Daily Gospel usccb.org/bible/readings

Dynamic Catholic https://dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever

Busted Halo Advent Calendar https://advent.bustedhalo.com/

Word on Fire with Bishop Robert Barron https://adventreflections.com/

For St. Lucy Parish Parishioners

formed.org daily reflection and a weekly study you can join and It’s FREE and has both adult and children daily reflections.