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Desire in Advent

Advent is a season when we’re encouraged to pay attention to our desires. Desires reside deep inside of us. They point towards things that can’t be bought but come only as gifts. During Advent the Church urges us to practice desiring God’s coming. The reading from Isaiah for the first Sunday of Advent spells it out: "O that You would rend the heavens and come down!" It is a plea, almost a command in clearly apocalyptic language that God tear open the sky and change us and our world. Yes, Advent asks us to cultivate passionate impatience until the kingdom of this world becomes, in the words of Handel’s Messiah, "the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ."

Unfortunately, Christ’s coming and His kingdom may not be welcome by those who enjoy having power and influence in this world and who live without regard for the often desperate needs of others. They may not be so eager to have the Lord come because, as Mary says in her prayer in the second chapter of the gospel of Luke, God will fill the lowly with good things but scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. The kingdom of God which the coming of Christ brings won’t have room in it for exploitation, cruelty, or oppression = only justice, peace, integrity, and love.

Advent is a time to cultivate our desire for God, for Christ, and for the Kingdom. It’s a season to pray for those things that will strengthen our faith, hope, and love, things that will make us ready to receive the great gift of the birth of Christ.

This Advent ask yourself whether you honestly resonate with the last few words of the Bible: "Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!" If these words do express the desire of your heart, then you’ll be ready to receive Jesus when He comes, not just at Christmas but all during the year.