Dear Vincentians and Friends,
Christmas. For many of us, the preparation for this joyous event begins the day after Thanksgiving. We run to the stores to buy piles of gifts for those we love. We spend hours searching for the perfect gift, wrapping it in colorful paper, all to see our loved ones smile on Christmas morning because we demonstrated how much we love them with our choice of gifts.
The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are overflowing with Christmas parties with friends, family, and co-workers; Christmas card writing; baking platters of Christmas cookies; decorating our homes with all our treasured memories from Christmases past; and for us Vincentians, trying to make sure every family that comes to us will have enough food to eat, gifts to share and a warm home to celebrate our Lord’s birthday.
But, year after year is all this holiday busyness disrupting our inner silence and unbalancing our Spiritual peace? How can we grow in God’s love if we are not spending quiet time with Him as we await His arrival? This is the gift of Advent, taking time to grow in our relationship with God as we wait for His arrival. Just like Jesus, we should spend time away from the hustle and bustle that the Advent season has become. “In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12
So, during Advent season, I hope you found your way to God’s heart through silent prayer, felt His mighty love, and rested in the warmest place to celebrate the most perfect gift ever received: the birth of our Lord. Now that was a demonstration of love to make you smile.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Harry Ohde