Thanksgiving and Advent

 

Dear Parishioners,

As I write this bulletin column, I anticipate enjoying the annual Thanksgiving dinner with various family members at my rectory. This will be the first Thanksgiving without my mom. This holiday was special to her because her birthday (November 28) fell in close proximity to it each year. This year the dates coincide.  She considered Thanksgiving her holiday and expected everyone who could to be there.

I realize, once again, how truly blessed I am. I have three brothers and a sister and their families, who mostly live in close proximity. I am so fortunate to have a number of people gathered together to share this family day and traditional meal. I will do most of the cooking this year while some of the family will bring some particular specialties from their own homes to the table.

As I reflect, I pity those people who would forgo time spent with family and friends to begin to camp out or stand in line on Black Friday in order to be early enough to get some advertised bargain at the retail stores. Thankfully, online sales have somewhat curtailed this practice. Nevertheless, I worry whenever we start to put material things ahead of family, friendships and relationships. People should certainly be more important than things, as far as I am concerned.

Advent begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I ponder once again whether or not this season of preparation for the Birth of Christ will actually make a difference to most people. So many people skip the intended Advent preparation and begin celebrating Christmas. When Christmas finally arrives, people are ready to move on to something else. Meanwhile, in the Church, we are just beginning the celebration. 

Why did we have to come up with slogans like Keep Christ in Christmas in order to remind us of something that should be so very obvious? I advise that we don’t waste precious time by getting caught up in all of the materialism that the world is concerned about and continually sells us. Rather, we should take time for the spiritual life. After all, we as humans are comprised of body and soul. We should make the time for Jesus Christ and prepare for Him. Personally, I find that when my spiritual priorities are in order and Christ is forefront in my life, everything else mysteriously seems to fall into place. I may have to learn this lesson over and over again, but someday I may finally get it right.

I attempt to do my part by keeping any Christmas preparation in proper perspective. My annual Christmas shopping remains almost non-existent. Unfortunately, I don’t think the economy will be helped by my miniscule number of purchases. Perhaps, my spiritual life might be deepened instead.

I know that the anticipation of the birth of the Christ Child still brings hope to many lives. For those who truly try to pray, to spiritually prepare (especially with a sacramental confession), and even to fast, the joy that comes from readying our hearts for the coming of Jesus surpasses any temporary, illusory pleasures that the many TV commercials may promise.

Please do your part to ready for Christ's coming during these four weeks of Advent and attempt to forgo turning this preparatory season into a premature Christmas celebration.

Fr. Ed Namiotka,

Pastor