Christmas Eve Arrives
It's Christmas Eve. Many of us are not working today. Some are.
If we're still at work, we attend to the tasks at hand. But we really can't help it if Christmas remains more the center of our attention. Well, just do your best. And get what must be done on time done.
After this, just about all of us will have some respite for the next week or so. Business winds down the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Not true for some, though. Example: First Responders. Having a son who is a police officer, we're more that familiar with the reality of his job. He's lucky if he gets off to spend time with the family on Christmas, or at least at some point in the coming days. As always, we pray for his safety.
How was Advent this year? Were our spiritual lives up to the job of preparation?
Our spiritual exercise during Advent should have required at least a modicum of effort, even stretch. Maybe some extra or special prayers - like "Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts." Maybe we prayed the traditional Christmas Novena. Maybe we observed the days of Advent with one of those Advent Calendars - especially if we have children in the house. And, of course, maybe we lit candles on our Advent wreathes accompanying our prayers in the evening - or any other time.
So much can be done to let Our Lord know we look forward to celebrating His Birth. And let's not forget that we look forward not only to celebrating His Coming two millennia ago, but His Second Coming - whenever that may be.
Identifying and practicing some simple yet challenging special spiritual practices helps not only prepare, but also clears out the mind and heart. (And many of us could use a good srubbing!) Among other things, we can more clearly see those precious images of the Birth of Our Lord: Bethlehem, the Star, Mary, Joseph and the Baby in the Manger.
But that's all almost water under the bridge now. Christmas Eve is here. And Christmas Day already beckons.
We will celebrate our usual Christmas Eve feast, with some special foods. Our once robust family gathering was cut to the bone during the Covid Mess and has never really recovered. And, of course, we do have the lingering sadness of the death of our eldest child, now almost 6 years ago. He suffered a stroke and we spent December of 2018 with him in an induced coma for the entire time from December 15th to his death on January 2nd. It remains a permanent weight that accompanies us now every Christmas.
But as Advent 2024 draws to a close, we give thanks to God for the
graces He bestowed on us during this Holy Season of preparation. As it always does, Christmas Eve has come so quickly! It's
time to put aside our work and turn to Bethlehem, the Star, Mary, Joseph
and the Baby in the Manger. Despite our inevitable sorrow, that
city, that star and that Holy Family will still be more than enough to make this a joyous and peaceful Christmas - we hope and pray.
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