Reflection – My Advent Journey
by Lori Wilson
Christmas has always been a favorite season of mine, not so much the season of Advent. Growing up, we had to go to confession during Advent, not my favorite sacrament! We had to wait forever for Christmas to get here. At the beginning of Advent, my mom would set up the creche and my brothers and I would set up the figures in the configuration we each wanted, then the next week the tree would go up, but with no lights. The following week the lights and ornaments would go on the tree and lights would be put up outside. During the last week of Advent a package for each of us kids would be placed under the tree. The waiting was torturous on those long weeks waiting for Santa to come.
I remember one Advent: my brothers and I were playing volleyball over the tree that was placed between the family room and the living room. It was a perfect spot to see it from both rooms, but it was also a perfect spot for a one-on-one volleyball tournament. We had a great game going one Saturday and one thing led to another and you can imagine what happened when that volleyball got spiked. (None of us were very tall at that time!). Yes, it crashed. We quickly righted it as best we could and then scattered to hide either outside or in our rooms, before my mom and dad could discover what had happened.
That discovery didn’t take long, but my parents didn’t say anything to us, they swept up broken ornaments, readjusted lights and balanced that tree. But we later noticed that those packages that were under the tree with our names on them, disappeared. A silent and effective reminder that Santa was ever watching. That’s all it took to help us wait a bit more patiently. The Advents of my youth were spent like this: waiting and waiting and waiting.
The Advents of my adult life have been spent helping my three children understand that what we are expectantly waiting for, are not the gifts from Santa, although they represent the love between us, and all of the blessings God has given us; what we are really waiting for is the birth of Christ in our hearts, which carries an even deeper meaning.
This was an impossible concept for my children. My kids would say, “that baby is a baby, Mom. Jesus is not being born as an adult, that would be weird.” My brilliant, ever logical children. “Yes, that is true” I would respond, “but we celebrate the birth of Christ, and Christ is that baby and soooo much more.” And then my kids would ask, “Why is that baby half naked. Isn’t he freezing? Let’s get a blanket.” And wherever we had a creche, the baby Jesus would be swaddled appropriately in some type of blanket, a tissue, a washcloth, something wrapped up that baby and kept him warm.
My kids are all grown now, and I spend Advent differently. I spend time reflecting on what the meaning of Christ’s birth really means, and I’ve come to a deeper understanding. The gift I am waiting for – is the gift of Christ to me. And if I truly receive Christ, it is really a gift back to God. That sounds confusing! Even to me! We will come back to it.
Imagine this – you are a wise person – on the journey to the birth of a new King. You prepare weeks in advance for the journey. Your camel is ready. You know it’s going to be a slow, long ride, but you also need to bring a gift. What do you give a King? What could a king really use? What do you have to offer someone who can have anything? We will come back to this question, too.
If Christ is really born in my heart (Christ, not just a cute, half naked, infant), then I should be able to recognize Christ born and in all those I meet. Others who are created just like I am. And, I should be able to better mirror Christ’s attitudes to those around me – patience, love, kindness, generosity forgiveness, fairness, and humility. So, it makes me wonder how have I recognized Christ during this pandemic?
And I remember, Christ visited me -
In the emails I get from a parishioner every couple of weeks, with that dry humor that makes me laugh out loud and see life less seriously.
In our parishioners who didn’t ask, but just jumped in, to help clean up after Mass at the tent all summer and fall.
In the kind call from a mentor who reminded me that self-care is really what God wants for each of us and I was included!
In the words of another friend that encouraged me to be less hard on myself and forgive myself once in a while.
In the gift of peanut butter cookies, just to brighten up a day that was isolating.
In the early morning texts from a friend from Halifax, who checks in just because, each and every day.
In the unasked-for help of those who said, “I can help you organize and clean out the O’Connor center or St. Agnes. When can I come?”
In the voice of my children, when they ask me in the evening, “Where did you meet God today, Mom?” (That’s our strategy question used when one of us is being too negative. It always turns things around.)
I have also met Christ in the angry parishioner who couldn’t get a spot at a Mass and said he would come anyway.
In the friend who pulled away, instead of having an honest conversation and clearing the air after a disagreement.
In a frustrated parent who didn’t like the changes in faith formation and the schedule that was set and told me I lied.
In all of these encounters, it is in relationship that I have met Christ. I have seen the patience, love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, fairness, and humility that I myself, seek and need.
And so, I am on that journey to the king. This is my Advent Journey and it is yours. What gift can I give the Christ child? I want to give the gift of recognition to Christ. I want to recognize Christ in those I meet, all those that match my personality and thinking, and in those that think very differently than me. I want to recognize Christ in our world. I want to recognize Christ in the waters of the ocean, and in the night sky, and in the beauty of creation.
So we come back to my confusing statement - why is this recognition a gift back to God? Because if I can do this, if I can recognize Christ in others, then that recognition, should be enough to help me love a little more, and help others realize how perfectly loved they are by God. And in this, I cooperate with God. That’s the gift back.
And so back to question two. You are that wise person, on your journey to the King. What do you bring?
