Advent a time to anticipate and be joyful

Welcome to Advent.  I think it is my favorite time of the year.  It isn’t hot anymore and decorations are up.  Everything just feels celebratory.
But let’s remember that right now is a time for joyful expectation.  Have you sent a child off to college, or been separated for a period of time from someone you love?  You know that feeling when you find out they are coming home for something?  It is joyful, exciting and there is also longing.  Perhaps you use the time before their arrival to clean the house, or to paint their room.  You might go shopping for some of their favorite foods.
The closer you get to the date of their arrival, the more intense the anticipation.
This is Advent.  It is a time of being joyful and anticipating at the same time.  How backwards would it be to celebrate that a loved one is coming home soon but having a daily party prior to their arrival.  Imagine dining on favorite foods up until the person finally arrives.  Then, when they finally arrive we have one additional nice meal and everything returns to normal.  Backward, huh?  
But so many of us treat Advent and Christmas this way.  We have Christmas parties all through December, and then the day after Christmas day we take the tree down along with the rest of the trimmings.  
Let’s try to enjoy the anticipation of the Birth of our Savior.  How about we spend some time preparing our hearts the way that we prepare our homes.  Maybe we can shine light into parts of our hearts that embrace darkness.  Maybe we can shop for food to share with the poor.  
Advent is not just about preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus 2,000-plus years ago.  Advent is also a time to prepare for His second coming.  He promised that He would return.  Does a reminder that He will return scare us?  I know it seems to have that effect on a lot of people.  Maybe if we feel apprehension about Jesus returning, it should alert us to the fact that we are too attached to this world.
 —  Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life. Email him at [email protected] 
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