Christmas is in the air! Can you feel it? Certainly all of the retailers hope you can. The world hammers us with Christmas. And there is certainly nothing wrong with getting into the “Christmas spirit.” But Holy Mother Church has a different idea about these weeks leading up to Christmas. That is why we celebrate the season of Advent. Advent is a time of anticipation – of awaiting the coming of the Savior. It is a time of preparation, of making sure our hearts are right when the Messiah arrives. And the readings reflect this sentiment.
A verse from today’s first reading from Isaiah really says it succinctly. “Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways!” Ain’t it the truth? It kinda seems like it is all about the timing, right? Just like it seems that I always pick the wrong line at the store, sure enough, Jesus will come back right when I’m doing something really boneheaded. On one of those rare occasions where I’m doing God’s will…well, rest assured that He won’t be picking that time to return.
So, how do I increase my odds? This one’s a gimme – by doing right more often. The more time I spend doing right things, the more it will become a habit, and the more I will be doing right things. And the better my chances that my life will be in order when Christ returns. But I must be sure to be doing the right things out of love, not fear. And when that happens, I will be anxiously anticipating Christ’s return, and not dreading it. Maranatha!
Father, give us the grace to always be doing right. We want only to please you, as we await the return of your Son, Christ Jesus. Amen.
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