Cramming for Christmas

As Father Fred said today, "Our God is a God of surprises." Catholics can get pretty use to having four weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas, but this year God said "Surprise! You now have just 48 hours for which you must cram in a whole week of Advent." So now what?

Personally, I tend to hang on to the hope that "it'll all come together and work out" and I keep cramming in gift-wrapping, card-sending, events, work, cleaning, etc. etc. I prioritize everything which really means I prioritized nothing. It seems to all fit; everything gets done, right? But, what I often forget is that what I really should be cramming into this short week of a few hours is prayer, hope, love, joy, silence, listening, peace... If you feel like these are diametrically opposed, you are probably correct because I don't think they can possibly coexist together without us actively striving to incorporate them. It's just not going to happen. So do we (especially us Warriors of the Last-Minute Table) have to drop the Christmas preparations, cancel the online purchases, and admit our houses just don't look like a Taste of Home magazine cover all the time? Not quite, though maybe partially. Jason Evert says we should make our outer appearances match our inner spiritual appearances. 

Yes, in past years it feels like everything got done, the food is made, the house is clean, and so on, but often my inner self is a forgotten little dust bowl that is about as dry spiritually as a bone, and cluttered with thousands of unread and unheard messages from God that I never took the time or made the quiet moment to listen to. So this year I'm taking the practical advise of Fr. Augustine Donegan and applying it to Christmas and hopefully to infinity and beyond: "Pray 15 minutes every day. Lengthen it if you can, shorten it if you must, but never omit it."

Awaken

Last Sunday was a reminder, catalyzed by intrigue. The Priest painted a picture at night with a number of scenarios; car horn, dog bark, phone rings with no answer. He spoke about how disruptions from sleep (or comfort) would have a natural reaction of frustration; he also spoke of when we choose to mentally acknowledge God instead of frustration this would be a supernatural reaction. God please awake us, so your servants can hear.

1 Samuel 3: 3 – 10, 19
3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down within the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, `Speak, LORD, for thy servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came and stood forth, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for thy servant hears.”

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.