Waiting

Advent is here, can Christmas be far behind? Well, this year Advent is only three full weeks, so yes, Christmas is not far behind, even closer than usual.  We are admonished to "be watchful, be alert" (Mk 13:33) and to wait for the time unknown when the Lord will come. (Mk 13: 36), for Advent waiting is two-fold:  for the birth of Jesus and for his Second Coming. One has historically taken place, the other is somewhere in the mystery of "when".  What does this mean in a culture where answers are found in minutes by the touch of a screen?  Where horns beep as soon as a traffic light changes, where impatience flares at a slow check-out line?  We are not good at waiting, yet this is the season of waiting, of watching.
We might have to work at forcing ourselves to wait, to put something else aside so that we can reflect on our lifestyle that overworks, overtires us and gives us little time to appreciate the "little signs" of his Presence that God gives us through others.  Or how our preoccupation with the events of the coming day block our personal prayer or our attentiveness during Mass.  We need to pray for the grace to slow down, to turn our daily "musts" over to God and be assured again and again, that what we finally accomplish each day is sufficient, and what God wanted, (which is never, it seems, what WE wanted!  In the end, we see that his way was best and our fretting was for nothing.)  The expectant mother cannot force her child to come when she wants, but must wait for the time when God in his wisdom and plan wants it.  Let this be our Advent stance and help us to take full advantage of and enjoy the waiting.
Bro. Rene