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I remember vividly that while in seminary there was one Advent season in particular where I entered deeply into God’s quiet peace. As a seminarian, I remember being very busy with class, my teaching parish and other mandatory events. The season of Advent was a particularly busy time as we approached finals and research papers which were due.
One year, I was very intentional about approaching the season of Advent in a way that allowed me to deeply enter the mystery and stillness of this season. My prayer was more intentional, my experience of liturgy more purposeful, and I was more intent in remaining in God’s sanctifying grace. Correspondingly, that year’s Christmas celebration at the Cathedral of St. Paul (my teaching parish while in seminary) was the most profound celebration I had experienced in my life up to that point. I believe that this was the case because I had been intentional about preparing my heart during Advent for the coming of the Lord. I had entered into God’s quiet peace and was thus able to celebrate Christmas with great joy.
To be honest, I have not had an experience of Advent or Christmas quite like I had that particular year in seminary. My years of priesthood have been filled with pastoral duties, parish responsibilities, teaching, confessions, etc. Each year, I approach Advent with the same desire to enter into the stillness of the season, but Advent quickly passes into Christmas amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Another year and another opportunity lost to spiritually preparing my heart to celebrate the coming of the Lord. Perhaps your experience of Advent has been similar to mine. The wonderful aspect about our Christian faith is that we believe in a God of second chances; a God who calls us from our spiritual apathy to renewal and intentional discipleship. What if this year we entered deeply and intentionally into Advent? I guarantee that if this is the case we will also experience our most meaningful Christmas ever.
Advent, which is derived from the Latin word, adventus, means a coming or an arrival. Imagine if there were an important guest coming to your home for a celebration and you did nothing to prepare: no cooking; no cleaning; no decorating; no preparing! There is no doubt it would be quite a muted and flat celebration. So it is with Advent and Christmas, as the one season corresponds importantly to the other. The season of Advent allows us the opportunity to look back to the coming of Christ 2,000 years ago and to look forward to second coming of Christ. The readings chosen and the symbols used are meant to draw forth from our hearts expectant longing and hope.
The season of Advent is also about the stillness and darkness of the night that we know, with hope, precedes the dawn. Amidst this stillness and darkness of the season, we are invited to enter into the deep and quiet peace of God. With faith we know that our God was indeed Incarnate in Christ and we know that Christ will indeed come again. These truths of our faith provide us peace amidst the trials, challenges, and busyness of our daily lives.
In closing, I invite each one of us to intentionally enter into this important season. Enter into the stillness and darkness of the season and enter into God’s quiet peace as you prepare your hearts to celebrate His arrival. There are many ways to do this: Spiritual reading; Scriptural meditation; meaningful confession; a retreat; intentional solitude; increased prayer; adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and more focused participation in the Eucharist. I promise you that an intentional and prayerful Advent will lead to a profound and joy-filled celebration of Christmas. Give it a try this year!
Peace, Fr. Griffith