"Awake, Awake"

A predominant theme of Advent is preparing for the magnificence of Jesus's birth. Last week, we discussed what this preparation can entail. Part of it is being watchful and aware of the wonders happening around us. In this vein, this past Sunday, my choir sang "Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn" as our Recessional hymn. Here are some excerpts from the first and second verses:

Awake, awake, and greet the new morn
For angels herald its dawning
Sing out your joy, for soon He is born
Behold the child of our longing

Come as a baby, weak and poor
To bring all hearts together
He opens wide the heavenly door
And lives now inside us forever

Music to heal the broken soul
And hymns of loving kindness
The thunder of His anthems roll
To shatter all hatred and blindness

What a lovely song of hope and joy triumphing over darkness!

As the song reminds us, we must be ever "awake" to fully notice, appreciate, and take joy in the presence of God in our lives.

While this need for re-awakening is most emphasized at holidays like Christmas and Easter, I believe that we must be watchful and alert at all times, every day. This is not always easy, to be sure, and a line from the Second Reading spoke significantly to me on this matter:

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine..." (Philippians 1:3-4)

This reminded me of an area in which I have been working to improve. There are many things in life that give me great joy and that fill me with strong feelings of gratitude. I say a prayer of thanks to God every night, thanking Him for my fiance, my family, my friends, my job, my birth into a Catholic upbringing, and so on. However, I am striving to offer these prayers of thanks more immediately upon receiving any gift from God. These gifts can include even the smallest things during the monotony of the day, for as we have discussed previously, great joy and gratitude can be found in simple, small things, too.

Sometimes at night, I realize that in the happiness of such a moment, I forgot to offer a grateful prayer to God. I am glad to say one at the end of the day, but I still think it is best to express my thanks and love right away. Sometimes I remember to do this, but sometimes I don't. This is something I am working on. I want to pour forth my love, joy, and gratitude unto God in every minute of every day, and Advent is a great reminder to try harder!

What positive changes are you hoping to make? In what ways are you striving to prepare your heart for Jesus? I would love to hear from you!

May God bless you now and always!

Karen