“Advent is the season of the secret, the secret of the growth of Christ, of divine love growing in silence…For nine months, Christ grew in his mother’s body. By his own will, she formed him from herself, from the simplicity of her daily life.” ~ Caryll Houselander
Do you want to get my attention? Especially when I was a young boy, did you want to get my attention? Just say to me, “I’m going to tell you a secret.” That phrase perks up almost all ears. It quiets all voices. It prepares people to listen to the great secret that we are about to be told.
Advent does that very thing. It whispers to us: “I’m going to tell you a secret.” Then it sets parameters. It says to us, “If you are going to be able to hear this secret, you must prepare.” Preparation is the first challenge of the season. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His path.
We prepare by doing all sorts of things. Some of them are liturgical. We light Advent wreaths. We go to Mass. We sing Advent hymns. Some of them are practical. We perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy for others. Some of them are material. We prepare to shower loved ones with cards, goodies, and gifts so as to show our love for them as God shows His love for us.
When we are fully engaged in our Advent preparations, we tell the season that we are ready. We ask Advent to tell us its secret. Advent then bends down to us and whispers in our ears: “God is coming!”
FAITH ACTION: Let the secret out. Share with as many people as possible your faith and hope in the Lord. By your actions, bring Jesus into the world today.