Thoughts for Advent
Advent is well on its way. December 3rd marks the beginning of the liturgical season known for the preparation of the Lord's coming into our broken world to restore us and make possible the entry into Heaven to join in the divine banquet.
For me, I've always been very partial to Advent, and the Solemnity of the Nativity has always been my favorite Mass of the year. Well, that and Easter, obviously. However, the significance of God entering into our realm of human disorder and brokenness has always resonated with me deeply. That the God of the universe would Himself enter into our dimension to be among us, is telling.
I have written in the past about the spiritual life as I see it throughout Advent; how to pray during it, asceticism during the season, and other topics. However, I figured I would offer a couple of thoughts for these brief two weeks before Advent officially begins.
We know that Advent is a season of preparation. It is the season to prepare as a church for the coming of our Lord. As a church, we are to make ready our hearts, minds, and souls for Christ's coming into the world. We ought to become worthy dwelling places for Christ. On this same train of thought, I would say, let's use these two weeks prior to the official start to prepare for the season of Advent.
Use the next couple of weeks to prayerfully discern what you can do as a man to make more room for Christ in your heart. Not even that, perhaps, but prayerfully consider what it will take to allow Christ to be the absolute centrality of your being. We all have vices that we must let go of, we all engage in habits that do not bring us closer to the Lord, we all sin. Shocking.
The more we let go of ourselves, the more 'room' that Christ has to more fully take over us. The goal is to be a vessel for the light of God. The goal is as St. Paul says in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Yes, December 25th marks the day that God entered humanity as fully man and fully divine. Let us keep on our hearts the words of the evangelist to the gentiles and let us die to ourselves so that Christ may live in us.
