Advent – Preparation

Merry Christmas beloved Readers

Over the next couple of weeks you will encounter a question that I call a seasonal weather question. Often when people do not know what to say they talk about weather. During this time of year they ask, “So, are you ready for Christmas?” What the average asker wishes to know is if your shopping is done, if your house is decorated, and if your party is planned.

Too seldom do we really prepare for Christmas. Remember that we are talking about the Advent of Christ. Literally, we are looking forward to the arrival of the Anointed Redeemer. How do we prepare for that? Last week I talked about giving others hope. In addition to hope we need to prepare our lives for his arrival.

Instead of thinking of preparation as getting things we need, we should think of it as getting things in order. When we have a favored guest coming to our home, we will spend hours getting our house in order. We plan and anticipate the arrival and become more excited as the moment draws nearer. This is the whole point of celebrating the Advent of Christ. “Let every heart prepare him room.”

We are to approach Christmas as a time when we make ourselves ready for the anticipated arrival of the most honored of guests: Jesus Christ. So as you put up the tree, wrap the presents, and plan your holiday celebrating, I would pose a question. Should not this be another aspect of Christmas that we are pondering and preparing for all year long. Remember that the word Christmas literally means Christ Mass, or the celebration of Christ. So I ask dear reader, are you ready for Christmas?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn