Reflection for Thursday, December 20, 2018

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

IS 7:10-14
PS 24:1-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
LK 1:26-38

I enjoy the season of Advent because I’ve often thought of it as an invitation to slow down. We’re steeped in a mindset that pushes speed. We like to have things now. Two-day shipping isn’t fast enough—we need to have it overnighted. For an extra fee, we can avoid the lines at theme parks and move to the front without having to wait. We’re upset with people going 10 mph over the speed limit because we think they’re not driving fast enough. 

I generally use Advent as a reminder to be present. Ideally, this would be a practice I’d embrace all year-round, but I’ll willingly admit that I don’t alway remember to, so it’s nice to set some time aside to reinstitute this practice. When I slow down, I find that I’m better able to notice how God is working in the present moment. There are so many nights when I look over my day and realize all of the opportunities I had to notice God, yet failed to be present to them. Or I can find myself asking why God wasn’t present in a situation when really, I just wasn’t paying attention. 

Or there are those moments when I feel anxious or overwhelmed. When Mary is greeted by the angel in today’s gospel reading, one of the first things the angel says to her is “don’t be afraid.” When I slow down, take a deep breath, and try to be present to the moment, I feel less overwhelmed.

I hope that in these past few weeks you have been able to slow down, but even if you haven’t, there’s still time. In the coming days until Christmas, I would encourage you to seek out those moments in which you can pause and notice God’s presence in the moment.

Robby Francis is the CLC Coordinator in the Department of Campus Ministry.