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This post was written by John Spitzer, author of Finding God Again and Again.
“As I go to work every day and take care of children, I find that
Jesus is already present in my life. The challenge for me is finding God in each one of his
children as I try to help them get better. God has been taking care of me, but I take care of God
too as God lets me manifest my love for God through my work.”
Advent this year 2022
This first week of Advent stirs in me this enthusiasm and excitement as I think one more time of
the coming of our Lord Jesus. It is an opportunity to delve deeper into my faith and pray with
more fervent love as I try to walk each day with Jesus.
Isn’t Jesus already here?
It sounds strange and confusing to talk about the coming of Jesus while I state that I try to walk
with Jesus in more fervent love, insinuating that he is already here.
As Pope Benedict XVI states in Benedictus, Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI 1 ,
“Advent is a translation of the Greek word Parousia which means “presence” or more accurately, “arrival”
that is, the beginning of a presence”.
In days of old, the word was used to mean the presence
of a king or ruler.
But Christians took the word to mean the presence of God, a presence that
had begun. And yet, we also believe in the second coming, a life that is eternal and joyous. It is
a life that is in a state of development and is yet to be manifest.
Thus, we find ourselves in as state of in-between: on December 25 th , we celebrate the birth of
Jesus who was incarnate about 2,000 years ago; and we wait with hope for the second coming,
for a life that is more eternal.
The Challenge to Take On This Advent: Find God in each of His children
As I go to work every day and take care of children, I find that
Jesus is already present in my life. The challenge for me is finding God in each one of his
children as I try to help them get better. God has been taking care of me, but I take care of God
too as God lets me manifest my love for God through my work.
At times, things don’t work out for me, and it may seem that I am lukewarm in my prayer.
But I know Jesus rejoices when I recognize these days in all humility, and I offer them up for God’s
glory and my salvation. I rejoice that Jesus is with me on these days of trials and tribulations, as
Jesus said at the end of Matthew’s gospel, “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age 2 .”
Jesus opens this concept of being with me now and in the eternal life.
Eternal Life is Happening Now
This concept of eternal life is not just a temporal concept, that is, we live in the present times,
and the eternal is about to happen in the future when our bodily life passes away. Rather, the
eternal life can be in our present time.
Again, as Pope Benedict says in Benedictus,
“ … eternal life is a new quality of existence … it is in the midst of time, wherever we come to face to face
with God.”
So, I stay in touch with Jesus through prayer and try to be face to face with God.
Pray more, make sacrifices and call on Our Lady for help
Advent becomes an opportunity one more time to get closer to God and experience eternal life. I dig
deeper into my heart and try to discover what God has placed there so I can be God’s
instrument of love. Remembering Jesus’ birth helps me put life in perspective so that I can
make sacrifices just like Jesus did.
I have been working on my prayer by creating a better relationship with Jesus and praying in the Ignatian style of prayer.
But over the past years, I feel like our Blessed Mother has been
tugging at me a little to create a better relationship with her as well, so I have tried to pray the
rosary on a more consistent basis, although I will admit, I have not been successful on creating
a routine.
Seek new sources of Inspiration
I saw on a recent Catholicsonline.net post the rosaries from Refuge Rosaries.
As Jess Nayden,
creator and owner, states,
“Refuge Rosaries offers handmade, beautiful, durable Catholic
rosaries made with wood and gemstone beads and micro cord.”
I may need to look here for
more inspiration.
And talking about inspiration, we do use symbols and art through Advent to help us be more
focused and think more deliberately about the birth of Jesus.
If you need Christmas ideas for
the family, take a look at
A Very Catholic Christmas Gift Guide.
How Can a Busy Man (or Busy Woman) Honor Advent?
- Know the meaning of the word Advent. The word Advent comes from Greek word Parousia which means “the beginning of a presence”.
- Make a daily effort to see God in each individual. For each person is a child of God!
- Acknowledge Jesus’ Eternal Presence through personal prayer.
- Make a sacrifice, pray a Rosary. The Christmas carols will be playing later and tomorrow – perhaps turn off the car radio and pray a Rosary.
- Seek new sources of Inspiration. Purchase a Christmas gift from a Catholic shop, follow a new Catholic on social media, read a new Catholic book.
As we get closer to the birth of Jesus, I wish you a Merry Christmas and may your relationship
with Jesus and Mary help you experience God in a more eternal way.
John Spitzer, author of Finding God Again and Again.
References:
1. Benedictus, Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI, Edited by Rev. Peter John Cameron,
O.P. Ignatius Press, Magnificat. 2006.
2. Matthew 28:20, BibleGateway.com
3. The CatholicApostolateCenter.org
4. CatholicsOnLine.net & Christmas Gifts
JohnSpitzerMD – Becoming one with God
John J. Spitzer, M.D., a native of Salem, New Jersey, moved with his family to Cali, Colombia, at age six. After finishing elementary and high school in Colombia, he returned to the United States to pursue his education in medicine. He is a practicing pediatrician in private practice and also a clinical assistant professor in pediatric medicine at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. He lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with his wife, Anne, and has two young adult children, Tim and Patty. He enjoys running, soccer, and reading.
