Prepare Ye the Way

A splash of red in the winter white of a Colonial Christmas

I’m not a Lent guy.

I understand the traditions of using up the supplies to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday or “Fat” Tuesday for those who overdo it.  I typically attend Ash Wednesday services and accept the imposition of ashes as a sign of repentance. But as for fasting and abstinence, thanks anyway. Reminding me that I am dust and to dust I shall return is depressing enough.

But as for Advent, I am all in.

Now it ain’t about “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, though I enjoy watching the anticipation of my granddaughters.

No, for me it is about annually preparing my heart with patience, love, and joy for the arrival of a child who changed the World.

Patience might be the hardest part, even for adults. And I don’t just mean patiently waiting for the Savior. No, I mean patience with each other and a world that doesn’t always meet our hopes and expectations.

From the Book of Isaiah to the Letter of James, we are instructed to be patient. James goes one step further warning against grumbling with our neighbors. While he had never been to a Big Box store or a gas station or sat in traffic behind the guy on his cell phone who hasn’t noticed the light has turned Christmas green, his prophetic advice holds.

In this busy time of year, we need to remind ourselves that we’ll never know what the person standing in front of us is going through. What are their needs, worries, and disappointments? No matter what they are, they don’t need our face to show judgement, our voice to betray impatience, or our actions to convey anger.  Eye contact, a smile, and a sincere “how are you doing?” can be balm to our fellow Advent travelers. And don’t forget to patiently wait for the answer.  Just listening is a wonderful gift at any time of the year.

Christian tradition has taught us that the author of the Epistle of James is Jesus’s brother who was also head of a church in Jerusalem. In addition to patience and endurance, his letter tells us to “strengthen our hearts”. For the prophets, the poets, and the minstrels, the heart is our center, our identity, our essence. In the context of Advent, for me that means to first examine what I hold in my heart as beliefs, values, and priorities.

As we annually celebrate the coming of our Savior, rearranging the furniture that crowds our hearts is my image. Preparing the way involves making room for God. Are all those other priorities really necessary? Are they getting in the way? Are they limiting our bandwidth? (I hate that expression, but I just used it).

In the well-known story of the first Christmas, there is no room in the inn for Mary and Joseph, and by extension Jesus. They are forced to fend for themselves past the loading dock and the dumpsters, in a stable out back. I always wonder, was there really no room in the inn, or did the inn keeper just not want to bother to accommodate this poor couple? His sleep disturbed; he just wanted to get back to bed. His patience had been tested and he failed.

But the image is useful as we examine our hearts. Is there room for Christ and all that represents? Do we have things getting in the way of loving our neighbors as ourselves? Are we welcoming in the stranger, the foreigner, the other? Even if we don’t take the beggar home with us, are we at least rolling down the window and saying hello, I see you, and you are a fellow traveler in the Kingdom. Are we handing out a bottle of water, a grocery gift card, or any token of our love?

The world is a disappointing place these days, I get it. But it always has been.

The only heart that we can control is our own. We can strengthen it, we can open it, and we can protect it.

Whether or not you come from a Christian tradition, love is such a basic element of our survival. Even if we don’t always feel loved, giving love is always the answer. Concentrating on taking care of others can lift the spirits of the most hopeless Grinch among us. And it is not a cliche to say that the more you give, the more you receive.

But what about “protecting” your heart?

I am protecting my own heart with news-free days from time to time in this Advent season. While I am not in for depriving myself during Lent, laying my heart on a daily platter for the world to disappoint is something that I can control. While I will remain engaged and resolute, sometimes I find that No News is Good News is a way to protect my heart and keep it healthy for the days ahead. Bundling up for a walk in the woods, listening to good music, or reading a good book can balance our hearts and minds.

So, my friends, as the days shorten and the last of the leaves take flight, remain watchful and be of good cheer. You don’t have to wait for December 25 to see the face of the Christ child. That face will look back at you many times today. Open your hearts so that you can be a mirror reflection of that face and help change the world.