At Work and at Home On Christmas Eve: Less is More
Over time, I've learned that less is more when it comes to presenting ideas, concepts, plans, and strategies in a clear and convincing manner. If you've ever sat through workplace presentations with endless power point slides, filled with excessive verbiage, slide after slide, as the presenter reads what's there for all to see, you'll likely have learned the less is best lesson: Get to the point with as few words, graphs, bullet points and pictures as possible.
This Advent, I applied the same lesson to my spiritual preparation. Rather than pile on special prayers, devotions, mortifications, etc., I concentrated on a few items. One example: I made the effort to focus my attention exclusively on what I was reading during my morning routine (Scripture, spiritual reading, etc.) rather than allow my mind to wander from the page to my day's work; promptly prayed my Angelus (most hours) at the appointed times; showed up at Mass on time (most days).
The result: less focus on how much I was doing; more focus on God.
Even our home and family preparations flowed more smoothly. Maybe it was because we started decorating a little earlier than usual, and did so in manageable bits and pieces. Same with any shopping for gifts, food, drink, etc. We really made the effort not to overdo things.
And so as Advent 2015 draws to a close, all thanks be to God for the graces He bestowed on us during this Holy Season of preparation. It's time to put aside our work and turn to Bethlehem, the Star, Mary, Joseph and the Baby in the Manger. If you remember that less is more, that city, that star and that Holy Family will suffice to make this the best Christmas ever.
This Advent, I applied the same lesson to my spiritual preparation. Rather than pile on special prayers, devotions, mortifications, etc., I concentrated on a few items. One example: I made the effort to focus my attention exclusively on what I was reading during my morning routine (Scripture, spiritual reading, etc.) rather than allow my mind to wander from the page to my day's work; promptly prayed my Angelus (most hours) at the appointed times; showed up at Mass on time (most days).
The result: less focus on how much I was doing; more focus on God.
Even our home and family preparations flowed more smoothly. Maybe it was because we started decorating a little earlier than usual, and did so in manageable bits and pieces. Same with any shopping for gifts, food, drink, etc. We really made the effort not to overdo things.
And so as Advent 2015 draws to a close, all thanks be to God for the graces He bestowed on us during this Holy Season of preparation. It's time to put aside our work and turn to Bethlehem, the Star, Mary, Joseph and the Baby in the Manger. If you remember that less is more, that city, that star and that Holy Family will suffice to make this the best Christmas ever.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
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