Looking Forward On This 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Let's look forward a bit on this 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.

But first, let's acknowledge that the future isn't here yet. (Duh.) It's only the present - the here and now - that really matters. So as we look forward, don't lose that sense of the present, especially the fact that God's Presence within us is here and now. Just a reminder.  

With that, we creatures of God, with our fallen human nature can't help but be curious about the future, right? What awaits us tomorrow, next week, next year, and so forth? While natural, again, we must remind ourselves that in the next minute God may call us Home. That's the whole purpose of Holy Mother Church urging us to meditate on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell. At least there was a time when this was actively promoted to us "People of God." Not so much anymore. Nevertheless, we can't allow ourselves to be subsumed into the latest modernist twist that has characterized and "re-formed" our Popes (some), Bishops (some if not most) and Priests (some if not most) in our time - especially since Vatican II. And so another reminder - this one about the Four Last Things.

Wait! We were talking about the future. Okay, with all disclaimers and warnings in place, what will the future hold for many, no, most of us? Simply this: "the holidays." Halloween likely signaled this for many of us. All the secular hoopla (some of which is decidedly a combination of unhealthy and downright evil) descended on us (and our children) only days ago. Those of us with young children may still be munching on the candy and other treats that may have been gathered up. Our family - when our kids were of age - used to have a stash of stuff for at least a month, sometimes more depending on the haul. Then again, at the time, it was common for the neighborhood kids to trundle around all dressed up with their collection bags. It seems that's no longer the case in many areas these days. Oh well.

But let's not settle for "the holidays," okay? Remember that Halloween derives from All Hallows Eve. All Hallows is All Saints Day. And All Saints was followed by All Souls. That rich combination kicked off "the holidays."

But not "the holidays," of course. Let's step away from this "holidays" stuff as we look forward to see what's really coming. 

To begin, let's see Advent as Advent. And as Advent, it's a time of preparation for and anticipation of Christmas. It's not some "holiday season." Sure we can take in all the decorations and music that inevitably will surround us. No need to be grumpy about the secular stuff that so many are enamored of. But we really need to settle into Advent for what it is. Prepare for, anticipate the coming of the Lord. 

He came to us at Christmas. He will come to us this Christmas, and - let's not forget - He will come again. All of this - rich as it is - must remain in our hearts and minds even in the midst of the secular world's distracting celebrations of...the holidays.

So it's time. Time to look forward and time to spruce up our inner house for the coming of the Lord. Maybe we can think of our soul as the cave where Jesus was born. During Advent, we'll be cleaning up before the Holy Family arrives.

Think: Confession. If we're not regularly going to Confession, now's the time to do so. If your parish, like ours, offers a "Reconciliation Monday" right before Christmas, don't pass it up. Even better, get to Confession now, and maybe again before Christmas, thus drilling in the habit of regular Confession.

Our soul is where Christ already dwells, if we are in the state of grace. But we can still spruce things up for Baby Jesus to be laid in a manger in our souls, even as we set up the creche in our homes and place Him there on Christmas.

We might even think of the journey the Mary and Joseph had to make to get to Bethlehem. Travel was arduous. It took some days to get there. We can journey with them.

These are just a couple of ideas or images to help us stand aside from all the holiday hoop-la. 

Hope it helps!

 

Happy 22nd Sunday after Pentecost!