During these days of Advent I have
been struck by the cohabitation of waiting and busyness. Advent invites us to wait for Christmas in
quiet, joyful anticipation even as the prophets and hymns urge us to hurry and
make our hearts ready. The climax builds as Christmas draws closer
and we celebrate God incarnate.
Our society is busy about shopping
and making preparations. I find myself
rushing around a store on my lunch break to get a bargain and then waiting, for
longer than planned, in the line to check out. Full days at work are followed by evenings of
furious knitting or baking. This is a
season of great generosity and giving as people make donations of money, goods
and time.
I have found this year in particular a sense of gratitude for the
waiting amidst my busyness. Those
moments have become opportunities to experience the joy and recognize Christ
presence in the midst of it all. Seeing
Christ in the generosity and kindness of people reaching out to strangers. Seeing Christ in the opportunities to give
and to receive. Seeing Christ in the
delightful children waiting in line in front of me who brought smiles to the
face of many and kept impatience at bay.
May we each be graced in these
last days of Advent with moments of waiting and busyness as we prepare our
hearts, complete our to-do list and celebrate with great rejoicing God
incarnate. Kimberly Porter, OSB
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