Yes, I love Christmas!
Our Church, though, does not begin to celebrate the season of Christmas until Christmas Eve when the music stirs our hearts with love for the newborn King. The season of Christmas continues for 12 more days.
A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
Yesterday, began the season of Advent. The linens were purple at Mass, and the Advent wreath was lit.
One candle on the wreath burned through Mass. We are being reminded that the Lord is, indeed, coming. We must prepare His way!
The season begins long before December. In early July, the first Christmas sales begin. You can find good buys in June, especially on decorations. We have to be prepared early, and decide where we will celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Will we be with with our families and friends? Will we get together with our loved ones at all? Will we go on that trip? The excitement grows as we enter the fall season. Time is already running short. We go through recipes and decide what we will make for the celebration. We decide which Mass to attend. We shop for gifts, groceries, and things to wear. We attend Christmas parties and meet with friends. We go out to dinner to celebrate. We exchange gifts at work. We decorate the house and the trees. We decide whether or not to tell the older children that there is no Santa. They have fun winking and enjoying their younger siblings as they talk about Santa. They grew up a lot this year. We make cookies. We go to cookie exchanges and bring home new cookies. All of this is fun and good, but in the secular world in which we live, we prepare for Christmas, not the coming of our King.
Prepare the way of the Lord. Jesus, the King was born in a humble stable, a cold stable. A King with no crown, only humility. In spite of all the preparations we make for Christmas, are we ready to greet our King? Have we prepared the way for His Coming?
What can you do to prepare the way of the Lord?
1. Pray. Add 5 minutes to your prayer time each day. Even if you are not in the habit of praying, 5 minutes will bring you more peace than you had before.
2. Read Sacred Scripture for 10 minutes a day. I love the Gospels! Pick a passage and begin.
3. Spend 10 minutes in quiet listening to the Lord. You can feel His love for you in this time.
4. Thank God each morning for 3 things. Praise Him and adore Him.
5. Go out of your way to help one person a day.
6. Love and get to know His Mother!
These things are easy to do. They take up very little time. They can help you grow closer to Our New Born King.
This is the season. God is looking for you. Open your heart to Him. Always remember, though, that a truly loving relationship is two sided. Be ready to give Him your love. Our God is a God of Love and Generosity. He will never be outdone in what He gives. Open your heart. Prepare the way of the Lord!
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