Advent's Almost Over

A beautiful sunny day today. It was chilly and rainy and full of morning mist, but the sun kept shining through it all. Even if one side of the sky had dark grey clouds, the sun shone on the fields and trees. Everything sparkled. Is it four days till Christmas Eve? How can that be. I still have gifts to wrap and cards to send and prayers to say! I heard and read something about Christmas that was a new angle for me. A Poor Clare from Spokane wrote in a Christmas letter, and heard on an NPR commentary: People often complain that Christmas is too commercialized and that stores put out their decorations earlier each year. But without the economic factor of Christmas, our religious celebrations would be rather incidental and the holiday not much more than a Lincoln's or Washington's birthday. Since Christmas has the big economic influence, we can have music and lights and occasions of public good will all throughout Advent and on into the Christmas Season. The trick is, to see the meaning of Christ's coming inside all the activity; be aware and conscious of the connection between the symbols all around us. For example, see the lights as symbols of the Light of Christ, hear the music that is uniquely heralding the coming of the Lord, join in the public demonstrations of generosity to the poor. Well, that makes Christmas preparations more fun for me!