The Church welcomes her children to prepare for Christmas each year with a four-week season called Advent. The word ‘Advent’ comes from the Latin word ‘adventus,’ which means ‘coming.’ Perhaps, then, we might ask ourselves who or what is coming in four weeks’ time.
My own first response to this question is that we ought to take the coming of Jesus this Christmas personally. Christ is coming for me – and for you. Jesus was not sent by the Father to some ill-defined collective – no, Jesus came for a particular purpose and that purpose is personal to each one of us.
Jesus comes to us in a way that is very beautiful – He comes to us as a little baby. Think then for a moment of the last time you held a little newborn child. Instinctively we hold this precious gift close to our hearts – literally. In terms of usefulness a newborn has nothing to offer us, a little child cannot speak, they cannot complete any tasks for us, they have no monetary value and yet, unhesitatingly we hold them close. A newborn baby is completely dependant on us, to protect and to provide for. However, despite this dependency, the intimacy and joy that accompanies holding a little newborn is surely universal and to be treasured.
What if this experience of holding a little child is also the desire of God the Father for us? A relationship not based on performance, but instead a relationship of profound trust and intimacy.
Let’s ask for the grace to be Advent people in these weeks before Christmas. A people who grow in our longing to hold the new born Jesus close to our hearts, a people who already anticipate the great joy of the Christmas, a people who can put aside the demands of our performance based culture to experience instead the tender care of our Saviour.
Yes, something great is about to happen…
+ John