2nd Sunday of Advent

Many of us may be living lives that are full but not fulfilling. We may be overwhelmed with responsibilities and worries, consumed by busyness, clutter, or demands being made upon us. What we really long for is peace, wholeness, and simplicity. We are in a holy season that unfortunately has been overrun by consumerism. Many people will be stressing out trying to come up with the perfect gift for the person who already has too much “stuff” to begin with. Indeed, many people feel trapped by possessions, time, and work. The more possessions they have, the less time they have for themselves and others because of the pressure to get even more or “better” possessions. This might be a good time to take a few moments of silence and reflection, and ask ourselves if this is what we really want to keep on doing?

Today many people are seeking a spirituality that will free them from the need to have more. It is a spirituality that returns the most precious gift of all: the gift of time. It is a spirituality that gives them a sense of freedom – to free oneself from the desire for more “stuff”; to have time for others, to have time for service in the community, and to have time to spend quietly in church nourishing one’s own spiritual life.

During this Advent season, may we better understand that it is through Christ that we are fulfilled. We can turn to the Lord’s table and realize that it is set with the simplest of gifts: bread and wine. We profess to see in these most humble of elements the richest of all gifts – communion with God - after they have been transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Jesus. From the Lord’s table may we learn the wisdom of this season – that life is fulfilled when it is filled with the gift of God’s love for us