Reflections by Annette Roux, Retired Pastoral Associate
How is your Advent going? Are you giving yourself a chance to see the presence of the Lord?
Advent is a time to renew and deepen our relationship with God. It is a time of patient waiting; an opportunity to spend more time in prayer, more time with God. As you would look forward to spending time with a loved one, you should look forward to spending time with God each day during Advent. Instead of just going through the motions during this season why not celebrate Advent with your heart? If Advent is only a time of consumerism and buying gifts for people that they don’t really need or want, then it is flying in the face of what Jesus is all about. Christmas is being promoted by the secular world because stores make money out of it. But there in only one gift at Christmas, and that gift is Jesus. Advent is a time for a new commitment to follow Jesus, to deepen our hope in his return. God is always willing to give, but it is up to you to unwrap God’s gift to you. Many people do not like Christmas because their wishes for happiness are not fulfilled and many are delighted when Christmas is over. It is a time of year when many people are lonely or depressed and try to fill up that loneliness with things. They do not realize that nothing in this world will fill that longing because that longing is God. Only he will fill our emptiness. That longing will not be fulfilled by anything found under the tree on Christmas morning but only by the Jesus whom you will meet in the Eucharist on Christmas Day. Together we can prepare a way for the Lord.
