Happy Advent!
Mark 13:33-7
Jesus in the Gospel this Sunday calls us to be vigilant. What are we watching for and why?
First we are watching for the coming of Jesus. This primarily refers to his second coming at the end of the world when he will separate the sheep from the goats and bring his bride the Church to heaven. However Jesus also comes to us in his word, prayer and especially the Eucharist. Let us open our ears and hearts to a deeper revelation of his presence in the Eucharist.
The call to be vigilant reminds me of Jordan Peterson’s
advice: “Don’t think. Pay Attention.” Often when we talk to people we think about what we are going to say instead or actually listening and paying attention to what the person is really saying. We give others a precious gift if we earnestly listen and pay attention.
Similarly in our prayer we spend time lost in our own thoughts and worries instead of paying attention to what Jesus is doing or saying to us. His primary language is silence. Silence is the best way we can stay vigilant for the coming of Jesus. Please consider taking at least 5 minutes of pure silence in your daily prayer in order to pay attention better for Jesus. Silence will make you ready for his coming.
Happy Advent