WAITING WELL
It’s easy to lose track of time. It slips away and before we know it seasons have come and gone. Before Advent comes and goes, I invite you to join me in “waiting well” for Jesus this season.
How do you wait?
During a recent lesson on the topic of spiritual maturity, our group considered how we wait in a long line or behind a painfully slow driver. How we wait when the grocery store clerk opens a new check-out line and though we were first, invites a nearby shopper who was not.
Most of us (myself included) have a ways to go on our “waiting well” journey, and this is particularly true during seasons when we wait in angst or fear, illness or loneliness. And we are not alone! Sacred Scripture is full of waiting and examples of those who didn’t “wait well”.
Although advent isn’t technically a penitential season (like Lent), it is most certainly a time of wholehearted preparation while we wait expectantly and joyfully. This preparation is not just about decking the halls of our homes and buffet tables but is also a time for preparing our inner selves. A commitment to “waiting well” this advent season may require a choice and will look different for each one of us. For some, it may mean one less gathering or gift exchange. For others, it may require disappointing friends and family with expectations of us. While our circumstances may be different, we are united in the truth that “waiting well” is best practiced by turning our hearts and minds to God in the waiting.
I recently watched and highly recommend a short six-minute video from Fr. Mike Schmitz on the meaning of Advent. During the video, he asked his viewers the following question: “If advent is the wholehearted and joyful preparation for the coming of Jesus into our lives” – “If Jesus showed up into YOUR life, would there be any room for Him?” If “waiting well” is best practiced by turning our hearts and minds to God, we also wait well by making room for Him. Personally, I am best at making room for God when my day includes a walk outside and some time spent in Scripture. How do you best make room? I have included a couple of advent related resources, including a link to Fr. Mike’s video at the bottom of this post.
I look forward to “waiting well” with you this Advent season as we tuck in closer to God and His heart for us.
With Love,
Mary
Link to Fr. Mike Schmitz Video (6 minutes): Click Here
Link to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s page on advent. You can find daily readings, advent related ideas, as well as a downloadable advent calendar: Click Here
Join our Walking with Purpose community on a journey to the manger. Each week, we will examine the Christmas story from a different perspective—Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi.
If you sign up, Beginning November 30, every Thursday during Advent you’ll receive an email with a beautiful guide for the upcoming week. Through Scripture, art, music, and meditation, we’ll prepare our hearts to receive the Christ Child. Our hope is that on Christmas morning, our souls will be renewed with peace and hope.
Sign up today to receive the WWP 2023 Advent guide, Journey to the Manger, delivered weekly to your inbox. Click Here