Advent Reflections

“The days are coming, declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 33:14

As we begin the season of Advent it seems appropriate that the first reading of the liturgical

year begins, “the days are coming…”.

The time of year anticipates the coming of so much. The holiday celebrations, visits to our

homes of relatives and friends, the giving and receiving of gifts, the food and drink we often

only enjoy during this season, and times which will make memories and the memories we

recall.

Today’s readings remind me to be ready, to trust, to have faith; be careful, watchful and most

of all, to pray.

The Lord speaks to me as he knows I am; caught up in my day-to-day living and responsibilities.

He knows the “anxieties of life” can “weigh us down”. I need to find the inner peace to live life,

trusting that God will give me the strength, courage and knowledge to rightly manage my life.

It is not easy to trust. It requires a “letting go”, a leap of faith and a prayerful attitude.

God has promised a Messiah, a time of peace, a time of justice. These are accomplished in

God’s time - not mine.

As I begin this Advent season, I go forward realizing the focus should be spiritual, but as I begin

the holiday season I know I will be caught up in the preparatory details.

I will share with you the following: I always find the falling of snow very peaceful. If you haven’t

noticed before, the noise level during a snowfall is greatly reduced and the world truly does get

quieter. I think of this a small way that God quiets the world.

This season take time to “quiet your world” in recalling God’s promises as a wonderful gift to

yourself. “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the good promise I made…”