In our everyday life, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time of preparation: Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, wrapping Christmas presents, Christmas cooking. And then throw in a few parties for good measure. By the time Christmas gets here, we're exhausted, and maybe even tired of hearing Christmas music and cleaning up the dead Christmas tree needles off the carpet.
What we need to do to restore the spirit of Christmas is to observe Advent. Advent, too, is a time of preparation for Christmas. But it is a different kind of preparation. It is the preparation of the soul for the birth of the Christ Child, a preparation of the heart to allow Christ to live within it. Perhaps instead of concentrating so much on getting the house ready for Christmas, we need to do a little housecleaning of our hearts and souls to be sure that they are worthy of receiving the gift of God's Son.
How do we make these preparations? Some people have an Advent calendar with daily devotions, and these are good. Reading the Bible or other spiritual devotions are also helpful. The most important "housekeeping" task is to look at your own life and consider if there is clutter there that takes up the space that you need to offer to Christ. Things like sin, greed, desire for control, fixations on unimportant habits or details. Throw out this clutter and make room for the Christ Child. Prepare the guest bed of your heart by putting on new, clean thoughts and actions: doing things for others, especially those who are needy; concentrating on the meaning of the season; praying for guidance, compassion, patience, and for the needs of others and for peace in this world.
We need to be as mindful of our preparation for the birth of God's Son in our own lives as we are to the preparation for the family gift exchange and dinner, and the parties and gatherings with friends. Let us prepare not only for a Merry Christmas, but a Holy Christmas.
God bless,
Pastor Sue Horvath
