Sunday, December 19, 2010

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Like a child who waits impatiently to open a Christmas present, each Advent we wait with a holy impatience for Christ’s coming in to our world and our lives in a new way. But if “God is with us” already and we know is always present and “in all things”, then it seems we have been waiting for someone who has already arrived! Perhaps it is God who is waiting for us!

…waiting for us to simply notice God at all in the busyness of our day…

…waiting for us to recognize and encounter Jesus, already present, in one another…

…waiting for us to accept that at every moment God is loving us into being. Because if not, we would cease to exist…

…waiting for us to fully embrace our belovedness in God’s eyes, despite our sinfulness, limitations, and shortcomings…

…waiting for us to invite God to shed light and heal any emptiness, fear, shame anddoubt that we may be feeling right now and need to let go of…

…waiting for us to trust that God will be with us no matter what…

In this final week before Christmas, ask yourself…

Is God waiting on me for anything?

Is there anything in my life that I am too embarrassed or ashamed to bring to God? Can I invite Christ to enter that part of my life to begin the process of healing?

How can I be Christ for someone this week? Maybe through a phone call, a handwritten note, a word of encouragement, a hug, or even a challenge?

Lord, help us to move from passive waiting, to actively finding you already present with us in our relationships and with the people we encounter each day.

reflected by Radmar Jao, SJ

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