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Advent Letting Go
By Diane M. Houdek
Source: Bringing Home the Word
Published: Sunday, December 02, 2012

Throughout the season of Advent, we explore the mystery of the Incarnation, Jesus letting go of divine splendor to embrace a human existence. In doing so, he raised all of humanity to its divine destiny. For St. Francis, meditation on this mystery was at the heart of his understanding of God’s saving love for us. It was also at the heart of Francis’s wholehearted embrace of poverty, of humility, of all of the divine virtues.

If Jesus could let go of so much, surely Francis could let go of his luxurious lifestyle and his quest for glory and admiration. In doing so, he showed his friends and all of his followers through the centuries how to let go of the pride and possessions that kept them from living the Gospel to its fullest extent.

Advent at the time of Francis was a penitential season, much like Lent. The austerities of the season were a reminder to let go of human vanity and embrace a more divine humility. In this spirit, we might focus our Advent activities on prayer, on charity, and on reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. There will be plenty of time for parties after December 25, and we will come to them refreshed and renewed.

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