We have entered the season of Advent – making preparations to welcome the coming of the Son of God among us, as one of us. The Child, born in such obscure surroundings, will become the Light of the Nations and the source of all grace.
Much the same as with Lent (making preparations for Easter), we should recall that it is God who has called us to embark on this Advent journey and His work will be far more important than anything we do in this holy season. This is to say that the “success,” growth, or change we see this Advent won’t depend on us! Everything that happens to us this season (and how our hearts will be converted) will depend entirely upon God – who will be the beginning and end of it all.
In this light, the central question of Advent is not “what kind of people do we want to be?” but “what kind of people does God want us to be?”
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To ponder: As we journey through this Advent season, let us not only enjoy the miracle of Christ’s arrival and presence among us, but patiently listen to what God is telling us. Whether from the pulpit, our daily reflections, prayer, or our myriad experiences as we interact with others, let us strive to discern how it is that God is revealing His love for us … and how are we responding to it.
