I’ve Failed Lent Before, but Advent?

Ah, the holidays... traffic, crowds, long shopping lists, even longer to-do lists all surrounded by well-intentioned cheer and peppered with mean-spiritedness, pettiness, and for many an acute awareness of loss. In the midst of all this... Advent. Why Advent? Or, more accurately, why do I feel like I’m failing Advent?

It's been rolling around and around in my head for weeks now… embrace, fully engage and yet, nope. I even made my own candles and Advent tray/centerpiece for the coffee table to help focus my intentions, my heart and mind, and still just... nothing. Truly, an emotional and spiritual desert.

Then, the other morning whilst washing my hair, these few verses came to mind:

"...In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; The rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, (Isaiah 40:3-5a).”

Often, we - I - focus on the humility aspect of Advent, “every mountain and hill made low.” Our minds so quickly go to the image of three kings paying homage to the Christ Child, the King of Kings, in a lowly manger. This isn't an attempt to downplay the importance of humility especially in the time meant “to prepare the way of the Lord” but when you're already feeling worn out, broken and low and watching the people you love feel worn out, broken and low maybe focusing your Advent on the “every valley shall be lifted up” aspect is what you need to do in the current season of your life.

This is the Third Sunday/week of Advent, it is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete in Latin means Rejoice!

It’s hard to rejoice when you’re struggling through the holidays. It’s hard to open your heart when the losses seem to outweigh all else. I won’t even pretend to have the answers on this. I’m floundering a bit, to say the least, but it won’t last forever. I know this even if I’m not feeling it. I simply wanted to share the joy I felt remembering that “every valley shall be lifted up” and:

• It’s okay to acknowledge you’re struggling. Make time for yourself, to simply breathe and be, take a few moments away from the sheer busy-ness of it all.
• It’s okay to admit you’re hurting. Try to start the day with what you are grateful for, actively count your blessings.
• Maybe you’re even angry. Talk to God. Let it all out! He knows your heart, best to get it all out. Just make sure you make time to listen after you have. Quiet your mind and listen.
• It’s okay to say, no, I cannot take on any more, make any more, buy any more, do any more. Enough!

Lastly, I don’t think any of us, even me, could ever actually fail Advent unless we choose to turn away from that precious child that awaits us in the manger.

“Open wide your door to the one who comes. Open your soul, throw open the depths of your heart to see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace. Open your heart and run to meet the Sun of eternal light that illuminates all men.” ~ St. Ambrose of Milan

Be open to the grace… it abounds, if we let it.