WEEKLY REFLECTION 

“Again, I say. Rejoice!”

Today we light the third candle of our Advent Wreath. It is the rose colored candle to remind us that we are getting very close to Christmas. The readings are filled with joy and anticipation. The prophet Zephaniah encourages us to “shout for joy, daughter Zion. Rejoice, exult with all your heart. Your God is in your midst. He will renew you with his love.” 

Paul, in the second reading, can’t restrain himself. He’s writing from prison, mind you, and he tells his people to rejoice. “Again, I say: Rejoice!” 

Even the crowds who listen to John at the Jordan are full of anticipation. Tax collectors and soldiers ask John what they should do to ready themselves for the Messiah’s coming. His advice is very practical. No lofty Hallmark card answers here. The tax collectors ask: “What are we to do?” He answers: “Stop collecting more than what is proscribed.” Soldiers ask, “And what are we to do?” He answers: “Do violence to no one and be content with your pay.” Many years later we ask the same questions as we await the coming of the Lord. What are we to do? How do we best prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord into our lives? We are not unlike those people in the Gospel. We, too, are full of anticipation especially for Christmas Day. 

The delight of children going to see Santa, the buying and wrapping of Christmas presents, the decorating of Christmas trees – all these Advent activities express our great expectation and anticipation of something wonderful about to happen. However, if our anticipation focuses only on the holiday dimensions of Christmas, our anticipation will end up as a big illusion and leave us disappointed. But if our anticipation also includes the holyday dimensions of Christmas – God’s grace, new birth, new beginnings, peace in our lives and in our world, our anticipation will culminate in a time of celebration and leave us with a sense of fulfilment. As our Advent days dwindle down, may we focus not so much on the secular aspects of Christmas, as on the sacred dimensions. May we look forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Jesus in a new and deeper way, into our hearts and homes, into our thoughts and feelings and into our dreams and desires.

Reflections courtesy of Evengeli.net.