What Are You Going to Give Up . . . for Advent?

We’re used to the question. We’ve probably been asked it by our parents, catechists and priests since we were children.

What are you giving up for Lent this year?

We’re used to thinking about Lent as a time of sacrifice and penance in preparation for Easter. And it makes sense to us (I hope). We may think of it as joining Jesus’ time in the desert fasting and praying before He began His public ministry. We may see it as a time of preparation for Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.

These can wait for Christmas! Advent is a time of penance, prayer and preparation!

But have you ever asked what you’re going to give up for Advent? After all, the seasons of Lent and Advent have a lot in common. They are both times of prayerful preparation for a major feast celebrating a key moment in Salvation History.

But they also both point us to the same end – living more fully as a Child of God and a Disciple of Jesus so we may be with Him forever in Heaven.

That’s why Advent begins with the Parousia. It reminds us that we await the coming of the King to claim His Kingdom; we await the coming of the Bridegroom to claim His Bride. Advent and Lent both remind us that we need to be ready – like the wedding attendance who brought extra oil to await the bridegroom in Matthew 25:1-13. And that means we need to continue the work of conversion of heart.

Advent has traditionally been seen as a “mini-Lent.” The Eastern rites still celebrate it this way, even practicing some rather rigorous fasting practices.

Perhaps we should resurrect that tradition for ourselves. Instead of jumping the gun on the celebration, what would happen if we really used Advent as a time to prepare our hearts a little bit more to be united with Jesus? Don’t you think that would give us even more to celebrate? Wouldn’t that turn an empty day of overeating and materialism into truly a day of joy? That’s the Church’s vision. I think we should make it ours as well.

So what will you do to prepare your heart a little more to be united with Jesus? What will YOU give up for Advent?

If you’d like to dig a little deeper into the idea of Advent as a time of penance, here’s a reflection by Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman called Advent and Self-Denial. Enjoy!

If you want to go even deeper, I invite you to check out CatechismClass.com’s online text-based course on the Season of Advent. It does a great job of presenting Sacred Scripture, the Church’s Catechism, and reflections on the traditions of the Church to give you a better understanding of the Church Year. If you do purchase this course, please indicate on the checkout page that you heard about it from “From the Abbey” so our friends at CatechismClass.com know we’re sending them the love. Thanks!

[hide code=joinus]

[/hide]