Daily Seasonal Reflections
Thursday of the First Week of Advent
Fr. Trey Nelson
 
“On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: "A strong city have we;
 he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.’” (From Isaiah 26:1)
 
 
We are about to complete the first week of the Advent Season. Since we began, the majority of the first readings for daily Mass have begun with the words, “On that day,” or something similar, such as, “In the days to come…” and “The days are coming…” This is the case for today’s reading, again from the prophet Isaiah.  Each in their own way, these passages express the hope of the coming Messiah.  They serve for us today as a reminder of the event that we will celebrate at Christmas. As I reflect on the repetition of this theme, I think I have finally come to some sense of why Advent is my favorite season of the year.  When we were children, this was an exciting time in our home. As kids, of course, we couldn’t wait for Santa to come.  It wasn’t just that, though.  There were certain traditions that took place every year at this time, behind which our mother was the driving force.  The baking?  Man, she baked it all—and the smells permeated the house.  Cookies, pies, and, her trademark banana and pumpkin breads, made entirely from scratch.  Along with this came the annual family outing to purchase our Christmas tree and Mom putting out our Creche, which had been part of her family since she was a little girl.   As I reflect on all of that, it occurs to me that the waiting was almost more exciting than the actual event itself.   Not that Christmas was a let-down, mind you.  It’s just, that, when it was over, it was over.  It wasn’t anti-climactic, just different.  Our entire home rang out that Advent message, “The day is coming!”
 
Preparation.  Preparation.   Preparation.  That’s pretty much what November and the majority of December feel like every year.  I realize there is a lot to be done in preparation for “that day,” but does it sometimes risk squelching the blessing of the present moment?  It seems to me that the words, “The day is coming” speaks as much, if not more, to the present as to the future. It may not always feel like it, but there is blessing in every, breathing moment.  For me, this all calls us back to a certain balance: responsibly and diligently prepare for the coming feasts—but do so in the most important ways. Along with the shopping, ordering, wrapping, decorating, and so on, let’s just make sure we tend to the most important house of all, our heart. Given the current experiences going on in your life, you may or may not feel the blessing of the current moment. This, sometimes, is our reality.   However, as we get ready for the coming of Christ at Christmas, consider how he is revealing himself to you—and comforting you—in the here and now.