Advent is one of the most skipped event of the year. In the Philippines, as early as the first day of September, everybody would outdo each other in being the first to greet Merry Christmas. The lights and glitters, the brimming greens and reds pulls you fast forward to the 25th of December!
And what about Advent? In this fast-pace, exciting filled time, this "waiting" time is deemed as boring.
But Advent for me is the most exciting season of the year. In fact, the "waiting" time is so inviting, I always get giddy at the coming of the first week of December.
One December 25th in my high school years, when all the fiery sounds of the firecrackers were slowly being drowned by the restful silence, I went to my room and prayed. It dawned on me that the first Christmas was in fact a silent, boring, bland, probably tiresome night (from the busy Census). A modern Christmas is very different from that "Silent Night." It was not special at all. It was important only for a few.
I thought of how Christmas has been too commercialized in our time. There was nothing wrong with the festive atmosphere, but there is the danger of pulling us away from the highlight of the celebration. Perhaps that was why God's genuine love clothe in simplicity for us to be truly focused on what matters most.
So when I learned that Advent is the time to wait and to prepare for Christmas, I thought that was a very important time to make oneself ready for Christmas. The waiting time did not appear too long and boring. It appealed to me as a chance to participate in meeting the birth of Christ with meaning.
Just in case we are still asking if we can be a worthwhile gift for Jesus on His birthday, well we have Advent to prepare for that.
**by the way, the year after that one fateful Christmas eve, firecrackers were completely banned from Davao City. One of my major answered prayer! Finally, I get to enjoy what it means to *truly* experience a Silent Night, Holy Night - were all is calm ;D
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