The Christmas season is very exciting as we all look forward to spending quality time with our families, the children in our lives, and other loved ones. Certainly, it is a season that is filled with anticipation and excitement. People are constantly racing around during the month of December to get ready for the big day. However, what are we really preparing for. Is it the candy canes, decorations, lights, and gift buying, or is it something more. All of these things are nice and we do enjoy them, but let us take time this Advent season to prepare our Hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Christmas is the season where we are filled with Joy, for our Saviour is born, the babe, the Son of Mary. With the birth of Jesus Christ comes rebirth for all of us, as we enter a new year with glad tidings and peace. It is essential however to prepare for this great feast so that on the day of our Lord and those that follow we may be in touch with the Saviour of the world and his great love and friendship with us. During the days that lead up to Christmas it is good to take some time each day whether it be a few minutes or so to sit with our Lord, to ask God to prepare us for the coming of Christ. Allow God to open up our hearts and minds to the real meaning of Christmas by sitting with the Christmas narrative in the Gospels or simply pray and think about how this babe came, Jesus--True God and True man, humbling himself to take on flesh and share in our humanity so that we could rise to new life because of his great love for us on the Cross. Let us think about Jesus, the baby lying in the manger, that the wood of the manger turns into the wood of the Cross. For the coming of Christ into the world is the first step of Salvation history and for the hope of the future that awaits us Christians who believe in the Messiah. During this time before Christmas, let us think about Emmanuel, literally "GOD WITH US." By preparing our hearts and focusing on the Lord this Advent season, we will remain in tune with what Christmas is all about, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ the Lord. Our time with our families will be that much more blessed and we will appreciate the day and the season not solely for its commercialism, but for what this great feast day was intended for; that we gather together as the Church and in our families to proclaim the JOY to the World the Savior has Come, Let Earth receive her King! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and pray that you are ready for Christmas this year.
