Pastor's Corner: Do we need God in our lives?

Well, here we are at the beginning of Advent - AGAIN. It seems like it happens every year about this time. How many times do we have to remember Jesus' birth before we can stop celebrating Advent every year and just go right into Christmas. I wonder what the value of the season Advent is.

I have asked myself this question a number of times over the years and it is only after visiting that question over and over again that I am beginning to get a bit of an understanding of the purpose of Advent, and I have been Catholic my entire life! I can't imagine how difficult it might be for someone who has just been introduced to the season of Advent to fathom the reason for our yearly procession through this season which leads us to the birth of Jesus again and again.

I believe the Scripture readings for this First Sunday of Advent can help us to begin to recognize the purpose of the season of Advent. The first reading for this Sunday comes from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7. The second reading for this Sunday is from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:3-9 and the Gospel reading is from Mark 13:33-37. Please take a couple of minutes to look these Scripture readings up and read through them before you continue reading this article ... .

In the reading from Isaiah the prophet asks God "why do you let us wander, O Lord, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?" I struggle greatly with this perspective of God. While God does allow us to wander it is not what he wants. And we are the ones who harden our hearts God does not want that or do that to us. It is our choices that cause us to separate from God. When this happens, when we separate ourselves from God, we begin to feel a sense of loss, an aloneness that causes us discomfort. When this happens, we begin to do things and seek things that will fill that sense of loss and most often these things only increase our distance from God. So, we continue to move further and further away from the only source of comfort that we are made for - God.

The reading from First Corinthians mentions that "the grace of God bestowed on us in Christ Jesus, that in Him we were enriched in every way, with all discourse and know-ledge ... we are not lacking in any spiritual gift as we wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ." This statement affirms the fact that we have everything we need to help us remain close to God. This statement says that we live in the grace of God and that nothing can separate us from God - yet we do indeed choose to move away from God as we go through our days. WHY!

In the Gospel reading from Mark, we hear Jesus tell his disciples that they are to "Be watchful! Be alert!" For what? What are we to watch for? Again, in the final sentence of the reading Jesus says, "What I say to you, I say to all: WATCH!" I ask what are we to watch for?

I always used to think that the purpose for the season of Advent was to help us get ready for the birth of Jesus so we could celebrate this event well during the Christmas season. But the more I ponder the reason for this season of Advent I have come to realize that it is not about getting ready for the birth of Jesus because Jesus is already with us! The reason for the Season of Advent is to help me enter into the reality of Jesus present to me - to us.

How do I - we - do this? Well lets go back to that first reading from Isaiah. During this season of Advent we would do well to examine our lives and determine what we have begun to do that indeed separates us from Jesus. What actions and activities do we have to remove from our lives so we can allow the presence of God fill us with His Grace, Mercy and Love so that we can live in His presence. The reason for the season of Advent is to challenge us to examine our lives and remove those things that have become barriers that we have placed between us and Jesus. During this season of Advent we are to take on activities that place us in the presence of God. Activities that open us to the Grace, Mercy and Love of God which then empowers us to embrace Jesus fully.

When this happens, we are given the great gift of Emmanuel - God with us. Then having received this great gift we must share it with the world around us. We must give Jesus to the World.

This great gift is fully received only when we give it away.

Happy Advent.

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Deacon Tim Maroney

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church