Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear Thy servants when they call.
~ Creator of the stars of night
This hymn has always been one of my favorites. The melody flows so well and puts a person in a very reflective state. We are at the end of the first week of Advent. We can look back on our week’s journey and try to ascertain both where we have been and where we still need to go.
An important component of our Advent journey is disengaging from so many of the things of the world that keep us from drawing closer to God. There are some things in this world that are important to us in order to be successful in our chosen professions and the like. However, those same things can distract us from our spiritual journey. Our profession, while important in order to take care of ourselves and/or our families, should not keep us from God.
We are souled people living in a very material world. Because of that, we need to find a balance in our lives so that we can pay attention to God as well. We ask God, our creator, to show us the light so that we may focus on His Son, Jesus, whom we wait to celebrate in a special way on Christmas Day. We ask Jesus to hear us when we call to Him and to provide for our needs.
Has this been a productive week for you spiritually? If so, thank God for it. Has this week shown you that you need to work harder at some aspects of your spiritual life this Advent? If so, ask God for the grace to accomplish your goals. God is always at our side. It is up to us to look for Him and to respond to His presence.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to help you redouble your efforts to have a spiritually effective Advent season.