Advent Reflection - Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Both Samson and St. John the Baptist were set apart from God before they were even conceived. God hand-picked each man to proclaim the freedom God offers to his people. To Samson, God entrusted the mission of delivering the Israelites from the Philistines. This political freedom preceded the freedom God had in store for all of humanity. God the Father chose John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of His Son, who would ultimately free the world from the grips of sin. John prepared the way for the coming of Jesus by way of his preaching and his baptizing.

This being my first Advent in the Order, my novitiate year is teaching me in small ways what the freedom of God looks like. Practicing obedience to superiors and leaving my possessions and loved ones behind makes me destitute. For the first time in my life, I am working toward detaching myself from the things I once clung to for support and comfort. I am beginning to understand that reliance on God alone is what gives me true freedom. I now wake up every morning because I am excited for what God has in store for me, I am excited to lean on him. Relationship with God and following his will is my purpose for being.

The Father has chosen each of us, before we were born to proclaim the coming of Christ. He has a deep longing and desire for us to embrace this invitation. This should give us great comfort and confidence because he always gives us the necessary strength to realize the mission he has called us to. When we proclaim Jesus, we experience this freedom God promises us, this freedom of being sons and daughters of God. Throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons, during this persistent pandemic, the challenge is to intentionally center our lives on Jesus Christ in our homes. As you prepare for Christmas, prepare yourself to dedicate your entire life to God, in this lies freedom, and true happiness.