Matthew 24:37-44
When the world ends, it’s going to take the Valley about a week to find out. Are we ready? Does anybody care?
Jesus was not a happy camper because He saw the indifference of people. Everybody just went about their business. Just like in the days of Noah. The great flood recorded in the pages of the Book of Genesis was a major event in human history. There were plenty of warnings, but very few people bothered to pay attention. Same mentality is prevalent today. We have much to do. Our days are full. If they are not full, we look for ways to fill them. Being busy justifies our existence. We rationalize our worth by what we do, not who we are. Little wonder that most of us do not know how to just sit still. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the least popular ministry. Many consider wasting time with God to be non-productive. Since there is no time to waste, we text, or email, or talk on our phones while driving. Forget about safety. We’ve got to get the work done. Our day is filled with activity. Rarely do we take time to have a conversation. Families are showing the consequences of the lack of attention from spouses, missing parental guidance, indifference towards relatives. Then we wonder why there is alienation of affection. Because there has been no affection. We reap what we sow. Time is one of the most precious gifts that we can share with one another. Wherever we spend the majority of our time, there is where our priority is.
Advent helps us to sort out our priorities. Although Advent is not a penitential season, some extra time spent in prayer will not hurt us. Blocking out some time to be alone, to be quiet will help us to listen. Remember that prayer is a conversation. We get to speak, but we need to listen. Certainly, the Lord has plenty to tell us. Means that we have to turn off the apparatuses. Some of us might even experience withdrawal symptoms. Setting limits on the time we spend on social media will give us more opportunities to pray. The world will keep turning if we don’t know all the latest gossip, or “like the pictures” or post what we ate last night. Got to ask ourselves, does what we post help to change anyone’s life? Do our posts change our life? Much energy is spent on useless efforts to gain the approval of others without producing any benefits. Social media serves a purpose but can also be distracting. Commercials have crept in because the audience is massive. Companies want to take advantage of the publicity.
The economy is on everybody’s mind. The success or failure of Christmas is measured by the number of sales. Indeed, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” Trees, lights, gifts to buy. No one sings, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Advent.” Advent wreaths are not a top selling item. Obviously, the challenge is to not go with the flow. What the majority is doing is not always correct. In a culture of “death” with little or no respect for human life, we are called to be different. Might mean losing popularity; not getting invited to the big parties; hurting some feelings. However, we stand to be better prepared for the Birthday of our Savior Jesus Christ. After all, He is the reason that we are here. Christmas is about Him. Preparing for Him. Making time for Him. We are in a position to break the unhealthy patterns with which we were infected. The Season is not about getting what we want. Rather, preparation for Christmas is about giving ourselves completely to Christ, no holding back, no conditions. Our happiness is not in what is under the tree, but what is in our heart. The Mystery of the Incarnation continues to be lived in people who are willing to give of themselves. What happened long ago can be experienced in a new way.
We hope for a better tomorrow if we welcome Christ into our lives.
When the world ends, it’s going to take the Valley about a week to find out. Are we ready? Does anybody care?
Jesus was not a happy camper because He saw the indifference of people. Everybody just went about their business. Just like in the days of Noah. The great flood recorded in the pages of the Book of Genesis was a major event in human history. There were plenty of warnings, but very few people bothered to pay attention. Same mentality is prevalent today. We have much to do. Our days are full. If they are not full, we look for ways to fill them. Being busy justifies our existence. We rationalize our worth by what we do, not who we are. Little wonder that most of us do not know how to just sit still. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the least popular ministry. Many consider wasting time with God to be non-productive. Since there is no time to waste, we text, or email, or talk on our phones while driving. Forget about safety. We’ve got to get the work done. Our day is filled with activity. Rarely do we take time to have a conversation. Families are showing the consequences of the lack of attention from spouses, missing parental guidance, indifference towards relatives. Then we wonder why there is alienation of affection. Because there has been no affection. We reap what we sow. Time is one of the most precious gifts that we can share with one another. Wherever we spend the majority of our time, there is where our priority is.
Advent helps us to sort out our priorities. Although Advent is not a penitential season, some extra time spent in prayer will not hurt us. Blocking out some time to be alone, to be quiet will help us to listen. Remember that prayer is a conversation. We get to speak, but we need to listen. Certainly, the Lord has plenty to tell us. Means that we have to turn off the apparatuses. Some of us might even experience withdrawal symptoms. Setting limits on the time we spend on social media will give us more opportunities to pray. The world will keep turning if we don’t know all the latest gossip, or “like the pictures” or post what we ate last night. Got to ask ourselves, does what we post help to change anyone’s life? Do our posts change our life? Much energy is spent on useless efforts to gain the approval of others without producing any benefits. Social media serves a purpose but can also be distracting. Commercials have crept in because the audience is massive. Companies want to take advantage of the publicity.
The economy is on everybody’s mind. The success or failure of Christmas is measured by the number of sales. Indeed, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” Trees, lights, gifts to buy. No one sings, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Advent.” Advent wreaths are not a top selling item. Obviously, the challenge is to not go with the flow. What the majority is doing is not always correct. In a culture of “death” with little or no respect for human life, we are called to be different. Might mean losing popularity; not getting invited to the big parties; hurting some feelings. However, we stand to be better prepared for the Birthday of our Savior Jesus Christ. After all, He is the reason that we are here. Christmas is about Him. Preparing for Him. Making time for Him. We are in a position to break the unhealthy patterns with which we were infected. The Season is not about getting what we want. Rather, preparation for Christmas is about giving ourselves completely to Christ, no holding back, no conditions. Our happiness is not in what is under the tree, but what is in our heart. The Mystery of the Incarnation continues to be lived in people who are willing to give of themselves. What happened long ago can be experienced in a new way.
We hope for a better tomorrow if we welcome Christ into our lives.
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