Sunday of the 3rd Week of Advent

You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves…

It is so easy to lose heart and descend into negativity, especially since we are not out of the pandemic woods which has caused worldwide inflation and all kinds of economic woes. However, this Sunday is about joy as we light the third Advent candle. So what do we need to do to capture joy in our hearts? 

Recently I was ventilating about someone and P said to me you just added one week in purgatory. I stuck out my tongue at him but he isn’t far wrong. Well, one hopes it is no more than a week if it is measured in chronological time. We truly need to guard our tongues, work through our frustrations in a more life-giving manner than giving in to a stream of vituperative verbal diarrhoea. 

I need to keep my ventilation to a minimum, bring it into prayer with the Lord when I cannot no longer hold it in, then walk a mile in the other’s shoes before I open my mouth. Quite a challenge for a high feeler like myself, and given my female sensibilities. Letting go of things that bump into my oversensitive, emo psyche needs conscious effort and focus. 

Although I never pray for patience (for fear of all the challenging situations the Lord will send me to teach me this particular virtue), I do desire it for I know I will be a much happier person. 

I can wait calmly without driving myself crazy, and I can even enjoy the process of waiting, without giving up or losing hope. 

I can be more patient with others; accepting them for who they are and therefore able to love them better for their “weaknesses “. 

I can also continue to remain in my Christ-centred circle of joy despite the storms that rage against me. Nothing is so bad that Jesus can’t help me through it. He’s helped me through some really bad days, weeks, months, and even years before, why do I think He will abandon me now? Can I not continue to hope and trust in Him? 

Help me, Jesus, to always keep my eyes on you and to choose joy always even while waiting.