Anticipation

“Hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.”

Watching the excitement of the little kids, hardly able to sleep on Christmas in anticipation of what’s to come, reminds me of the excitement we should have as we await Jesus’ birth! When my girls were little and really beginning to understand Christmas it was so much fun, reading stories, counting the days on the Advent calendar, and visiting Santa. Getting them to sleep on Christmas Eve was no small feat, they would wake up well before dawn in anticipation of the day. Even as my girls are a little older, their excitement on Christmas morning is filled with joy and the days leading up to Christmas are charged with the excitement of preparations. They still wake up well before we want to start the day.

In Today’s gospel, Matthew outlines the genealogy of Jesus,

“the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.”

This passage from Matthew’s gospel reminds me of the faith that endured those 42 generations awaiting Jesus’ birth! How must Mary and Joseph felt, knowing the Son of God was almost here and understanding their role in this much awaited event? Their anticipation must have been intense, filled with fear and joy.

This Advent I have been focusing on the emotions of the season and how they connect to the emotions around my relationship with Christ. It has helped me slow down and appreciate events and responsibilities of the season that tend to lead to stress. One evening I found myself thinking of “all there is to do” before Christmas. Taking a deep breath, I stopped and asked myself, what do I still need to do to prepare myself for Jesus? Simply pausing to ask this question helped put things in perspective. It is easy to get caught in the bustle of the season. But, continuing to re-frame my thoughts help me focus on the true source of excitement of Christmas. Today I challenge you to remember back to your childhood anticipation of Christmas and focus on the joy!

Author: Molly O'Sullivan, Asst. Principal of Academics