In a hurry
By Dan Stremel
Director, Offices of Finance and Stewardship
The year is almost over already and most of us are hurriedly rushing through the seasonal rituals trying desperately to get everything done before Christmas, at least those things we deem important to celebrating this joyful season. It seems like time literally flies by us and it is difficult at work, at home and in our leisure to get everything accomplished that our active lives today demand of us. Many are looking toward all of the Christmas parties that have already been, or soon will occur, the gatherings and events, and quite possibly are rushing right past this very important time of the year that we now find ourselves within.
Advent is the time prior to the celebration of Christmas where we prepare ourselves spiritually and mentally to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into this world. Last week John the Baptist was speaking of the one who is to come, the one much greater than I, and that we must prepare ourselves for His coming. In this, the third week of Advent, Jesus says that John was the messenger sent ahead to prepare the way. James, in his writings, describes the need to be a patient people, patient until the Lord comes. For each of us in southwest Kansas, his description of the patient farmer who is to wait for the land to produce precious crops is an appropriate one.
One writer has described this season as going to a buffet, one that places the dessert at the beginning of the serving line. He suggests that as soon as Thanksgiving is over, we begin celebrating Christmas and all that goes with it, and that Advent can and sometimes does get lost in this transition of seasons. It is like placing all of the desserts, the celebration of the anniversary of our Lord’s birth, ahead of Advent, the rest of the dishes of the meal. Advent should be that entrée and the side dishes, meant as the important parts of the meal ahead of the dessert, the part of our Liturgical year in which we spiritually prepare ourselves to celebrate the anniversary of our Lord’s birth.
Patience is one of the characteristics of a Christian steward and it is a most challenging virtue for many of us. The hustle and bustle of the activities of our daily lives sometimes cause us to lose our tempers, our sense of calm. The added hurry during this time of year creates urgency and pressure that makes patience even more challenging. St. Paul reminds us that love is patient, and it is from that love that each of us develops the motivation to courageously remain patient. It is the very things that we rush past that are most helpful in helping us be those patient people that James describes today. It is taking time to pray and to spend a few reflective moments with Jesus each day that will truly make us prepared to celebrate the anniversary of Jesus’ birth in a few short weeks.
As Christian stewards, it is natural that we may struggle with the virtue of patience, but if we constantly turn toward the Lord and ask for His graces, that patience will be the result. During the rest of this Advent season, each of us has the opportunity to practice patience. Think about the people who use the "To Do" list to organize their daily tasks. Spending time at the beginning of each day with God is similar in that if we truly listen to God, we might find that the hustle and bustle of the day is a little less daunting, and that there is a way to accomplish all of these seemingly impossible tasks.
This Advent season and the upcoming Christmas season is a good time to become more aware of our call as Christian disciples and this ongoing stewardship message. It is my hope that all of us will take a few moments at the beginning of the day to talk to Jesus, and more importantly, to listen to what He is calling each of us to do in our daily lives. It is my hope that we have the courage to prioritize the many activities of our daily lives and truly focus our efforts on those things that will strengthen our relationship with God. May God continue to bless you and guide you through the rest of this Advent season and may each of us have the ears to hear and the minds to listen to Jesus’ important words.