Weekly Reflection 12/22/19

REFLECTION

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

December 21-22, 2019

Are we ready for CHRISTmas?

Shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, sending cards, planning get-togethers – Are we finished? Are we ready?

And, if so, exactly what have we prepared for? Gift-opening mayhem, messes when it’s all over, mad dashes to make sure we get to every invitation, standing in line to return unwanted gifts?

There was no room for Mary and Joseph at the inns of Bethlehem. Is there no room in our busy schedules for Christ? Have we Xed Christ out of CHRISTmas?

If we find that our CHRISTmas preparations have been focused in the wrong direction, we still have three days to get it right. Maybe we could set aside 10 minutes each day for the next three days to prepare for the coming of CHRIST. During that 10 minutes, we could:

  • Read and reflect on the stories of Jesus’ birth in the gospels
  • Pray the rosary for peace in our world
  • Write a letter to Jesus expressing gratitude for the gift he gave us on that first Christmas
  • Close our eyes and shut down our thoughts and listen for the voice of Jesus
  • Go online and make a contribution to an organization that helps the needy
  • Send a card to someone who is lonely or ill or struggling with the cares of life

Jesus came into our world in human form over 2,000 years ago, and he is coming back to judge the living and the dead. The question remains – Are we ready? Are we prepared to welcome CHRISTmas?

                                                                                                                                                                                     Kathleen Foehrkolb