Merry Christmas

It has been quite some time since I have hit the blog screen. A bit of writers block and a lot of studying for grad school finals took control. A thought occurred to me on this beautiful Christmas morning that I thought I would share if anyone out there is still reading...

I love Advent! I love Christmas too of course but for some reason I really love advent. During some great spiritual direction on Christmas Eve I realized that I love Advent because it is a beautiful parallel for my own life. In my life God asks me to have a lot of patience. Patience seems to be a reoccurring theme in our relationship. I don't know about the rest of you but for me patience it not easy. We live in a culture of fast food and cell phones; a culture of convenience and instant gratification. If we want it we can usually get it with the click of a button or the plastic of a credit card. When it comes to the bigger things in life though, the things that are really important, we can't just order them up. If we want temporary happiness we can get it instantly but if we want lasting happiness we have to wait on the one who is the author and source of that joy. On the first Christmas, joy came to the world and from one little baby the rest of our fulfillment flowed. I long to be fulfilled and happy, not temporarily but forever. There are big questions in my life that remained unanswered. During Advent I am reminded that I can put those questions aside and fill my life with fading joy or I can embrace those questions and wait for the answers from the one who is the author of my soul and all its longings.

I love Advent because it calls me into deeper prayer and faith. In order to endure patiently we must pray for deep faith. Like the prophets of the Old Testament I must wait on the Lord. What joy they all must have felt at the moment of Christ's birth when all they had waited for had finally come!

JMJ