Thanksgiving, Advent, and Being Watchful

What a weekend it has been! Because of the holiday this week, we were allowed to go home from the seminary to celebrate with our families. I had a great weekend with my family and my friends. I even got to meet my new great nephew who was born just three weeks ago!

But, I am excited to get back to the seminary to finish out the semester. It is hard to believe that I am nearly halfway through my senior year of college seminary!

This week, we as a nation gathered with family and friends to share a meal, maybe watch some football, and hopefully, give thanks for the many blessings we have received. On Thanksgiving day, my dad and I went to Mass at my home parish. My associate pastor was the celebrant, and in his homily, gave us all an important reminder: on all that we do on Thanksgiving, we have to remember the one to whom our thanks is due—God. Without Him and His work in our lives, what would we even have to be thankful for? Even in the midst of the chaos of shopping on Black Friday, when thousands hit the stores to buy gifts for their loved ones, if their love and their actions do not in any way come back to God, then what’s the point of it? In his homily, father also made an interesting point—there is a reason that the bishops of our nation asked the Vatican to include special prayers for Thanksgiving day in the Roman Missal. If nothing else, to serve as a reminder to us to remember to be thankful to God for all the blessings He has, and will continue to, give us.

Then, I got to thinking—which can sometimes be dangerous. In reality, at least for Catholics, thanksgiving (and by thanksgiving I mean the act of giving thanks and not the national turkey-themed holiday) should be more than just a day—but rather, a way of life. As Catholics, we believe that the source and summit of our faith is the Eucharist—the body, blood, soul, and divinity of the Word Incarnate—our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everything we do—all of our prayer and all of our works—must flow into and out of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is what we’re about—the Eucharist is what makes us who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ. It is interesting to note that our word “Eucharist” comes from a Greek word (and I don’t know how to type in Greek, so I’m not going to), which literally means “thanksgiving”. We are to be a people of thanksgiving—always, and not just a single Thursday in November. (Side note, for an interesting read on the Eucharist, check out my friend Chris' blog, here. Also, I hope that was a correct use of the apostrophe to show possession. If not, this is a blog, its 1:30am, and I really don't care all that much.)

Now that the turkey and stuffing have been eaten, and probably the leftovers as well, and that the shopping has been done, this weekend, we began one of my favorite times of the year—no, not Christmas—Advent. This weekend marks the beginning of the new year in the Church’s liturgical calendar. So, happy new year!

Growing up, all I ever knew about Advent was that it was another time in the year when the priest wore purple, and we put a wreath in the Church. I’ve heard the term “advent” my whole life, but never really knew what it meant. So, being the good student that I am, I turned to the source of all things academic—Google. According to Google, the word “advent” means: the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. What an awesome definition! It totally fits—kudos to whoever picked the name for the season. If you can’t figure out why its appropriate, use your brain for a minute. Jesus Christ—the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Word made Flesh, the Lord of Lords, the only begotten Son of God, and King of the Universe? Yeah, I’d say He’s important. The Nativity? Yup, important event. The season is called advent because it is an advent—it is a time for us as a Christian people to prepare for the coming of the most important person to have walked this earth—God made man, Jesus Christ.

A tradition in my family, for as long as I can remember, is to decorate the house the day after Thanksgiving, which is generally pretty close to the beginning of Advent. The tree and the lights go up, and most of the Nativity set. Most of it? You read that correctly. At least in my house, the entire Nativity set is out except the baby Jesus.

It does look kind of awkward—all the other "characters" are arranged around and looking towards a blank space. But, to us—it is a visual reminder. Just as they are waiting, so are we.

During this season, we await the coming of our King and our Savior. During this season, we become filled with hope—a hope that the world so desperately needs. During this time, we, hopefully, remember who we really are, what our lives are about, and are truly thankful that God, humbly taking the form of a child, came into the world to live, and to die, and to conquer death, so that we, fallen in sin, may have a chance at eternal life.

At Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, my pastor called to our attention the examples of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. Mary must have not known what to think when an angel appeared to her and told her that she was to bear the Son of God in her womb. Joseph must not have known what to think when angels came to him in a dream and told him. But, they trusted God and His plan. And God, just as a loving Father always does, protected them and provided for them. As my pastor said in his homily this weekend, Advent is a time for us to remember that, as Saint Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, God is faithful. God keeps His promises, and He promised that He would always be with us, and He is.

In the Gospel that was proclaimed this weekend for the beginning of the new liturgical year, Jesus told His disciples “Be watchful! Be alert!” During this Advent season, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, let us be watchful. Let us be watchful of the ways in which God is faithful. Let us be watchful of how God keeps His promises. Let us be watchful of how He acts in our lives. Let us be watchful by being attentive to the needs around us, especially those less fortunate than us. And, let us prepare ourselves for His entering into our lives. As Jesus told His disciples, we do not know when that will happen, but as He also says, may we not be found sleeping. As the characters in my family’s Nativity scene, let us wait with hope, and with joy, for the Lord who is faithful—the Lord who keeps His promises—the Lord who loves us more than our human minds can begin to fathom—is coming. May we be alert and watchful, and may we be ready to welcome Him.

In all things, may God be glorified.

Amen.

#thanksgiving #advent