2nd Week of Advent: WATCH

Have you ever been going somewhere and autopilot just kicked in and before you know it you’re at your destination and you’re like, wait… how did I get here? Yeah, me too.

Sometimes we are so caught up in our thoughts, our mental to-do list, listening to music, etc. that we aren’t paying attention to what we’re doing. Today’s theme is WATCH.

Watch where you’re going. It kind of can go with one of last week’s themes– focus. This Advent challenge yourself to watch and focus on what it is we’re waiting for this Christmas.

In the second reading from Mass this week, St. Paul writes,

And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more 
in knowledge and every kind of perception, 
to discern what is of value, 
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 
filled with the fruit of righteousness 
that comes through Jesus Christ 
for the glory and praise of God.

If there is fire and a mighty roar it’s a lot easier to pay attention, we wouldn’t have to discern anything because it would be obvious. But Christmas isn’t about about the obvious, it’s about a baby coming into the world in a small town, in a stable, to a teenage mother and a carpenter. Nothing about that screams “watch this!”

It’s our job to watch for the ways to prepare our hearts for Christmas, so challenge yourself this Advent to not just go through the motions, not to cruise through on autopilot; challenge yourself to watch and pay attention to the journey towards Christmas. How is God preparing you?

Be well,

Kristyn Russell