A post advent reflection.
This past advent was our first in our own home. Previous years: 2011 – our first advent and Christmas was in France with my husband’s family, 2012 – our first with our baby daughter, staying at my parents’ then moving out, with our wedding and in-laws visiting, 2013 – moving cities but back and forth again to my parents’ while my husband waited for a transfer with work. Now 2014, our first advent alone.
Finally a chance to create new traditions.
One of our new traditions is an advent wreath with the four candles; we lit them at dinner time at the table. We started using this as an opportunity to say grace. This was an adjustment for everyone, first of all we don’t eat at the table every night, maybe every third. Secondly our two year old had trouble waiting for after the prayer to start eating. But we persisted! I was armed with a family advent prayer book from the local library, and we kept at it, even if we were grumpy, tired or bored of the routine.
However we soon found comfort and solace in our tradition and we even became eager to have all the candles lit!
My daughter, my beautiful 2 year old, became very enthusiastic about the tradition. Holding our hands, reminding us to light the candle/s, and shouting out “AMEN” at the end. Words cannot describe the astonishing moment when your first born first utters amen, its surreal and awe-inspiring.
This simple advent tradition has morphed now into a daily family experience. Both my husband and I never grew up with grace before meals, but in just the last 40 days or so we have been enriched by this practise. We alternate between French and English prayers, to benefit my daughter who is (will be) bilingual. Now that Christmas has passed we are no longer using our wreath of candles, but that hasn’t changed our presence for this ritual. We now eat together as a family at the table, say grace, give thanksgiving and enjoy our meal enriched.
Advent is a time to prepare for the Lord’s coming. Not only as a reflection of the historical event of Christ’s birth or for the Holy season in the Church, but it is also a time to prepare our own hearts for the birth of Christ. Advent calls us to open our lives up to new ways to experience Christ; to give God the opportunity to fill us up where we may be lacking.
When we first set out to prepare for Christ’s coming, we only thought we were adding a prayer and candle ritual, but what it ended up revealing was a need for us to come together and thank God daily. It has filled us up and it showed us that we had been lacking. God used our eagerness to connect with Advent to reveal to us our true needs. It has called us now to a lifelong resolution, a resolution far more important than the usual suspects made at this time of year.
A healthy habit that will enrich not only our daily life but our spiritual selves. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and you know what? Advent was the perfect time to start.
Originally posted 2015-01-19 05:33:10.