Keep awake! Be ready! Don’t you just love the Gospel for this first Sunday of Advent? So, who here is ready for the coming of Jesus? What does that look like?
‘Tis the season where a lot of time and energy is spent on getting ready. The question is: to what extent is that preparation things we want to do, things we feel we have to do, and things we do mostly because they are traditions? To what extent does this time of preparation excite us? To what extent does it stress us out? Why does it stress us out?
(Jesus said) But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
The stress, the pressure associated with getting ready for Christmas can be like the thief in the night, robbing us of our peace. So, what do we do with that? How can we protect our peace and still get ready? What do we do to protect our peace?
There are many ways to protect our peace. Being fully present in those special moments allowing the wonder and joy to wash over us and fill our souls can make those moments even more special. It is also important to find moments to pause and let go, to create space for God, to create space for prayer.
Meditation, even for a few short minutes, is a practice that can actually be very refreshing. It requires us to slow down and challenges us to quite our thoughts if only for a few moments. I was talking with a knowledgeable friend and she suggested that those of us who have busy minds treat intrusive thoughts like a receiving line – greet them, hear them, thank them for coming and then move on.
Meditation is a practice. It doesn’t have to be perfect to provide peace. We just have to be open to slowing down and being present. So, what do you think? Are you willing to give a try? Remember, the goal here is to relax, to find a bit of peace. I am offering a sample of how meditation can be a tool for peace. How you use this tool is up to you.
Let’s begin by getting as comfortable as you can. Relax your bodies. Let your shoulders fall. Feel whatever tension you are carrying flow down your body and out your feet. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Feel the air fill your lungs as you breath in. With each exhale imagine you are letting go of anything that is troubling you, anything that is robbing you of your peace. Each time you breath in, know you are breathing in God’s love, and the things you need to sustain you right now. Breathe out and let go.
Breathe in God’s peace. Breathe out letting go.
Meditation can simply be taking a couple of moments and experiencing your breathing. You can spend a bit more time and focus on the sensations in your whole body. You can do guided meditation, listening to recordings like those found through “headspace” or other meditation tools on the Internet. Or you can simply repeat a refrain, a mantra – breathe in God’s peace, breathe out let go – that allows you let go of the world for a time and be present in the moment in order to bring renewal. Meditation is one form of prayer, one opportunity to protect our peace in times of chaos.
(Jesus said) But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
How will we protect our peace during this chaotic Christmas season? How will we keep our hearts open to God’s peace as we journey towards the celebration of God with us? May we be fully present in the moments of wonder and grace and trust that God wants us to know God’s presence not only at Christmas but in every moment, every day. This we pray as we sing: (VT) 237 Now the Heavens Start to Whisper