BE ALERT WITH JOY IN ADVENT
The news has been full of stories of people who started decorating their homes for Christmas the week after Halloween. Suddenly, on balmy autumn days, we were seeing Christmas lights strewn over the neighbours’ shrubbery and inflated Rudolphs and Santas popping up on their still green lawns.
Was this a response to ultra-early holiday sales marketing? Or something else, an attempt to capture the intimate and carefree nature of Christmases past, a burrowing into home and family at a time when the world is on fire with war, floods, wildfires and political insanity at the highest levels. Who wouldn’t want to tune all that out with a warm fire, the glow of the tree lights and some spiced wine?
It all raises the question: is this what Advent is for? Well, yes and no.
Jesus seems to stoke our anxiety in Luke’s Gospel for the 1st Sunday of Advent. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars and on earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25).
Sounds like right now, in a biblical prophecy sort of way. But Jesus does not suggest we stop our doom scrolling and start baking. Instead, he urges us to keep our heads up and our hearts full of hope.
“Be on guard,” he says, “so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life…”
Rather, the message is that timeless exhortation of Advent: do not be afraid! Advent is that annual season for drawing on our centuries-old traditions to recall the night the Lord was born and remind ourselves that this was an occasion of great joy. That, despite all the corruption, greed and evil of this world, God still looked upon his creation and saw that it was good. Jesus became human as a sign of God’s commitment to us, and a promise of his never-ending love.
Over these next four weeks, we will use Advent to once again prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. The bad news will not stop for us, but we don’t have to let it consume us either. The lights, gifts and family gatherings can reinforce the change in our hearts, to remind us that there is always hope.
“Truly, the Lord is waiting to be gracious to you, truly, He shall rise to show you mercy; for the Lord is a God of justice: happy are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18)
Joseph Sinasac is the recently retired Publishing Director of Novalis Publishing. He has been involved with religious communications for almost 45 years as an author, journalist, editor and TV and radio commentator on all things Catholic.
