Welcome Jesus
By Fr. Roy Joseph, SJ
Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come into you and eat with you, and you with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Advent preparation is finally over, and the Christmas feast now begins! Probably for most of us, there was a lot to do in the time we were given to prepare Him room—and there still is. Among other things we have already searched, shopped, mailed, cooked, cleaned, decorated, baked, and visited quite a bit already. We may find ourselves having devoured more things and less prayer than we would have liked and now feel underprepared. Yet Christmas is upon us as time continues and life unfolds.
This feeling of unpreparedness is a universal one I think. How often do we really feel prepared for any big event on our calendar, let alone the great mysteries of our salvation? I imagine Mary and Joseph felt that way too during that first Advent. What they did afterwards at that first Christmas is a model for us, however prepared we feel. Once the Child Jesus was born, their attention had an even greater focus on Him. They listened all the more, attentive to God and God’s desires not only in their hearts but very visibly in their home. They had this day, this moment to clearly be present to God in their midst. May we all take their lead and welcome God-With-Us with open arms.
