Receiving Advent

 

One year during Advent, a parish priest invited his parishioners to write down on a slip of paper a word that named something that is keeping them from getting closer to God. He suggested it might be a fear, a resentment, or an attitude that shuts us off from the love God so wants to give. They were to fold the paper over a few times, grasp it tightly in one hand, and make a fist around it while he began to preach on the Scripture readings.

 

After a minute, a parishioner's hand began to ache. At two minutes, his hand grew numb. At three minutes, the hand started shaking uncontrollably. The priest told us to open our hands. He found how hard it was to do that. After grasping the piece of paper so tightly, his hand had stiffened and seemed to have a mind of its own.

 

He could not remember what else the priest said that day, but he never forgot that lesson. Hold on to a resentment, fear, or bad attitude long enough and you will become paralyzed.

 

As we begin Advent every year now, we start with the realization that we need to let go of any and all spiritual impediments we are hanging onto. Advent is a time of receiving. It’s hard to receive if your hands are clasped shut. So let us begin Advent once again with this prayer: Holy Spirit of God, open our hands, our eyes, our ears, all our senses, and all of our heart so we will be ready to receive your Advent blessings.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who need to let go of the past hurts and allow Our Lord's grace to heal the wounds of your past.