Make Advent that real time of preparation

The season of Advent is upon us and this year the first Sunday of Advent was Sunday, Nov. 27. Also, this year unlike many years, Advent has four full weeks since Christmas is Sunday, Dec. 25.

In whatever way the Advent season seems to be recorded on the calendar, doesn’t it seem that what it is supposed to be never quite turns out? For us, Advent is supposed to be that time of quiet yet joyful period of preparing ourselves for the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. It seems to me that Satan is extra busy in Advent trying to distract us from this preparation with many nice but not very important things that the culture tells us are all-important.

The gift buying and giving, the parties, sending cards, decorating our homes and many other things in themselves are not bad. However, if any or all of them become all that we do and spend our time on in Advent, then that is bad. They have distracted us from what Advent is supposed to be and when Christmas arrives, we find that we are not prepared to meet the Lord Jesus, adore Him and follow Him.

Let me offer a few ideas to make Advent that real time of preparation for us. First, wait until the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, to put up your decorations. Have your Advent wreath ready and use it as a family from the first Sunday of Advent and, in this way, all the other decorations, cards and gifts will follow from that wreath and what it reminds us of. Second, try to be at Mass daily in Advent and most especially on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation, Dec. 8.

Third, resolve to do a penance every day of Advent and resolve to perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy every day of Advent. To do these things helps us to avoid the many distractions in Advent and truly prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus. Also, it helps us recall that He was born in poverty and obscurity to reveal to us what is truly pleasing to God the Father.

All of this helps but unless we commit ourselves to being people of Advent, Christmas becomes just another holiday. Let us be the people of Advent by imitating Our Blessed Lady, St. Joseph, Sts. Elizabeth and Zechariah, and St. John the Baptist.

Have a blessed Advent and a holy and Merry Christmas in the Lord!