Faculty prayer service

Our faculty gets together once a month for a meeting and this month we began with a brief Advent prayer service.  We prayed Psalm 23 and listened to a meditation from Saint John Baptist de la Salle and I offered the following reflection:

I think the one thing we human beings share in common is the uncanny ability to procrastinate.  I wrote this talk, for example, just a few hours ago (and I’m sure it will show!).  How many times, Mr. Sheehan, did Andrew Nelson have you ironing 20 foot long sheets to use to project a film the night before or hand you the text you were to read at Mass as he was processing up the aisle?

This four-week season of Advent, I think, is a reminder to all of us that when it comes to our faith we should not procrastinate.  Advent has two purposes: one is to prepare for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas which is why we have four candles that are lit each week in anticipation of that great day.  But Advent also reminds us that there will come a time when Christ will come again and “judge the living and dead.”  We should not be afraid of that moment, we should rather be hopeful and excited about the reign of the Kingdom of God.  But just like we would not clean our house if a guest was coming over or clear off our desks when we have an Open House, we shouldn’t put off our faith development.  We want to be ready when that moment comes, we want to look good for Christ for we know not the day or the hour when Jesus will come like a thief in the night.

Amen.