Rest Assured

Week two of Advent is upon us.  Last week we talked about preparing.  How have you prepared for the birth of our Savior?  Did you do something outside your normal routine?  The readings for this weekend’s Mass still talked about preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ.  Mark 1:3 stated, “Prepare a way for the Lord, make straight His path.”  There is still a need to prepare for the way of the Lord, but something that came to my mind in the first reading was of interest to me.

 

The first reading, from Isaiah 40:11 says, “He is like a shepherd feeding His flock, gathering the lambs in His arms.”  While we are still in the preparation mode, I found this verse to kind of stand out.  While the shepherd prepares the flock, I chose to read this in a different context.  I felt that Isaiah is saying to us, as we prepare, not to worry, for God will take care of us. 

 

Can you count the number of decisions you make on a daily basis, from what to wear, what to cook for dinner, plus all the decisions we have to make in your work life?  Wouldn’t it be nice to have an assurance that every decision we make would be the correct decision?  Unfortunately, every decision we make, cannot be the correct decision, and we will not know if our decision is correct, until the consequences of each decision has played out. 

 

Good News!!! I feel that Isaiah is giving us the assurance that if we prepare the way for the Lord, He will be there to gather His flock, tend to them, make sure they are safe and sound.  Making the decision to prepare for the birth of our savior, now comes with the assurance that He will tend to us, making sure we are fed and safe.  So as we keep preparing for the birth of our Savior, know that it comes with the assurance that if we believe, inviting Him into our lives, we can be assured He will tend to us, like the shepherd tending to the smallest lamb. 

There are not a lot of assurances in this world.  Prepare for His birth with decisiveness and understanding and be assured, He will take care of us.

Let's Start by Preparing

It seems to me that more and more, the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season grows exponentially.  I am guessing it seems that way because as children we have nothing to do but wait for the day we get to open our Christmas gifts.  As we get older our responsibilities become more.  Now we have to not only buy presents, but we have to clean and decorate the house, possibly prepare a meal for family and friends, some might have to pick up family and friends at the airport, etc.  Each year it appears that the Twelve Days of Christmas are quickly becoming the Twelve Pains of Christmas.  Good news though, we have Advent, a time to prepare, a time to wait..

 

The four weeks before Christmas(Advent), have so much symbolism from the materials the wreath are made of, to the color of the candles, but the most important thing to remember is Advent is the time set aside to help us prepare our hearts for the birth of our Lord and Savior.   Lighting a candle per week symbolizes time to pray.  Purple candles, purple vestments, remind us that we need to repent and prepare our hearts.  Do you see a common theme?  Repent and prepare.

 

In this week’s gospel from Mark, we are even reminded to “Be watchful!  Be Alert! For we do not know when the time will come.”  In all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season, the last thing we want to do is not be prepared for the master of the house.

 

As the craziness of the season continues, which we all know it will be there whether or not we are prepared to face it, it is important to take some time to prepare spiritually.  During the forty days of Lent(another time for purple) we are asked to fast or sacrifice something for the season.  Let’s take this Advent season as a time to prepare.  Let’s spend the next 20 or so days doing something to prepare ourselves spiritually for the birth of Christ, get up an extra 10 minutes early and start the day off by reading scripture, say a decade of the rosary with the kids in the car on the way to school, actually have an advent wreath in your home and spend a couple of minutes in the morning or evening, as a family, lighting each candle and praying together. 

 

Is all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season ever going to end?  Unfortunately, the answer is probably not.  Would you enjoy the season more if it were less chaotic?  Yes!!!  Do you think maybe, just maybe, if you invited Jesus to join you this season, by preparing for the birth of our Savior, it would help decrease the hustle and bustle?  Absolutely!!!!  Prepare for Him, invite Him.