On this first day of December, the first door on every Advent calendar is opened, revealing a tiny image of some aspect of this season. In the gospel, Jesus opens the door of his prayer to the Father and welcomes us inside this dwelling place of intimate prayer. As the advent calendar invites us to see a tiny image conveying a message, Jesus invites us WITHIN the very heart of his relationship with the Father, breathing the Spirit into our own hearts.
Jesus, the Christ, praises his Father for revealing to the childlike adult wisdom and the mystery of trinitarian love; the wise and the learned (the clever) will be unable to enter this dwelling of prayer, and experience divine intimacy, because their own hearts are filled with self importance. Last night, I was speaking with a parishioner who reminded me that prayer is opening the little door to our hearts, letting God in to just love us. It’s all about letting Christ be intimate with us. Intimacy with God!!!!! These words of simplicity came from a parishioner deeply rooted in prayer.
May this Advent free our imaginations to be childlike, being awestruck by the lights and sounds of the season. May we gaze at our Christmas trees and let joy fill our hearts, the door wide open for Christ to visit and stay for awhile. Come Lord Jesus into our hearts...come Lord Jesus and soften our hearts to let your Grace saturate and heal...come Lord Jesus so that we may give you birth in spirit as blessed Mary did in flesh...come Lord Jesus!!!
Peace,
Fr. Frank