It's Christmas Eve!
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, less is best wasn't so hard to do. If you've read this blog over the past year, you know that our oldest child died January 2nd of this year. Less prep for Christmas came rather naturally. In fact, it took effort to prepare in any way for Christmas Day. Hard to get my mind and heart into the usual decorating, planning, etc.
If I had my druthers, I think I'd have left things as they were on the first day of Advent: just as they are all-year. That would have meant no lights, no tree, no creche - in short, nothing. But, after some prayerful consideration, it was apparent that going with my druthers would have been completely self-centered. And so, best I could, I chipped in and did whatever needed to be done.
It's been kind of like those "dry" spells you get in your spiritual life. You know, when your prayers, mortifications, spiritual reading, study, getting to Mass and receiving Communion don't leave you with any "good feelings." You just kind of go through the motions, trusting that God knows that you're being sincere in your efforts.
Fortunately, my studies over the years have helped me understand these spells. You get none of the consolation, none of the warm and fuzzy feelings, that once accompanied your spiritual efforts. I learned that God pretty much withdraws these when he thinks you can manage without them. Why would He do that? It's to take the emphasis off of you. If you continue with your pious practices without deriving any consolation, you're showing God that you love Him, despite your "getting nothing" out of your efforts.
Make sense?
Of course, it's a bit odd having this dry spell at Christmas. Usually, no matter the particular state of my spiritual life, there's some vestige of Christmas joy that shows up at some point. But if God thinks I can manage Christmas without the joy, well, I'll just thank Him for His confidence. Then again, I wouldn't complain if at some point a little shot of joy gets thrown in. It's up to Him. Whatever He decides, I'll accept.
Now these fine words are easy to type on a keyboard. Really meaning what I'm typing doesn't come naturally. To the extent that I can sincerely express these thoughts, I know it's all due to the graces God provides.
But however the rest of the Christmas Season passes, I'm just grateful to God that I'm here for another Christmas, even if our son can't share the Season with us in person here on earth.
And so as Advent 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. Whatever feelings I may or may not have this year won't change the awesome and wondrous fact that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born true God and true man. Whether it feels like it or not, I'll rejoice in His coming to save us from our sins and open the Gates of Heaven so that we could spend eternity with Him in everlasting joy and happiness.
This Advent, less is best wasn't so hard to do. If you've read this blog over the past year, you know that our oldest child died January 2nd of this year. Less prep for Christmas came rather naturally. In fact, it took effort to prepare in any way for Christmas Day. Hard to get my mind and heart into the usual decorating, planning, etc.
If I had my druthers, I think I'd have left things as they were on the first day of Advent: just as they are all-year. That would have meant no lights, no tree, no creche - in short, nothing. But, after some prayerful consideration, it was apparent that going with my druthers would have been completely self-centered. And so, best I could, I chipped in and did whatever needed to be done.
It's been kind of like those "dry" spells you get in your spiritual life. You know, when your prayers, mortifications, spiritual reading, study, getting to Mass and receiving Communion don't leave you with any "good feelings." You just kind of go through the motions, trusting that God knows that you're being sincere in your efforts.
Fortunately, my studies over the years have helped me understand these spells. You get none of the consolation, none of the warm and fuzzy feelings, that once accompanied your spiritual efforts. I learned that God pretty much withdraws these when he thinks you can manage without them. Why would He do that? It's to take the emphasis off of you. If you continue with your pious practices without deriving any consolation, you're showing God that you love Him, despite your "getting nothing" out of your efforts.
Make sense?
Of course, it's a bit odd having this dry spell at Christmas. Usually, no matter the particular state of my spiritual life, there's some vestige of Christmas joy that shows up at some point. But if God thinks I can manage Christmas without the joy, well, I'll just thank Him for His confidence. Then again, I wouldn't complain if at some point a little shot of joy gets thrown in. It's up to Him. Whatever He decides, I'll accept.
Now these fine words are easy to type on a keyboard. Really meaning what I'm typing doesn't come naturally. To the extent that I can sincerely express these thoughts, I know it's all due to the graces God provides.
But however the rest of the Christmas Season passes, I'm just grateful to God that I'm here for another Christmas, even if our son can't share the Season with us in person here on earth.
And so as Advent 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. Whatever feelings I may or may not have this year won't change the awesome and wondrous fact that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born true God and true man. Whether it feels like it or not, I'll rejoice in His coming to save us from our sins and open the Gates of Heaven so that we could spend eternity with Him in everlasting joy and happiness.
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
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