Beyond the Beauty of Advent and Christmas
Reflection
It’s early December, and the season is increasingly filled with memorable Christmas music and a sprinkling of holiday decorations – it’s Christmas 2025. The festivities help put us in a special holiday mood, stirring up an inviting and personable Christmas spirit in these early days of Advent.
However, as I recall, a funny thing happens on December 26 (or even late on December 25): rather abruptly, the carols and holiday music come to an end, the decorations gradually are packed away, our socializing takes on a different tone. And, like the “used” Christmas tree tossed to the curb (hopefully to be recycled!), so too, does the Christmas spirit come to an end. It’s back to the everyday realities of life.
Jesus says in today’s Gospel selection,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Perhaps, just perhaps, our singing of Christmas songs is all too like crying out “Lord, Lord,” without any real change to carry out God’s will in our lives. Jesus comes to proclaim God’s will that we live together as brothers and sisters in God’s family, with love and concern for each other — which includes both patience and acceptance. The holiday feelings we have leading up to Christmas Day are good for us, but not perfect: life “happens,” emotions can change — while God wants us to live together as His children all the time, not just when we “feel” like it. Every day we’re invited and encouraged to be unselfish and loving, more like Christ himself.
May this Advent be a time of growth for us, both in our faith in Jesus and in how we live our faith in dealing with others. With the help of these Advent days and the special Advent Scripture selections, we can get more serious about putting our faith and love into practice. May we devote some special time and energy to our prayer that Jesus enter our lives as our Brother and Redeemer. Then, perhaps, if we have a change of heart with a renewed awareness which leads to action, we can have the beautiful and motivating experience which is Christmas every day of the year.
