Conception Abbey

In many ways the liturgical season of Advent is a season to learn patience. On the third Sunday of Advent (December 12) we hear St. James in the second reading telling us: "Be patient, until the coming of the Lord." He reminds us that "The coming of the Lord is at hand. See! the Judge stands at the gate."

The season of Advent reminds us of our place between the two comings of Jesus, and urges us to continue to wait patiently for him to come again. Our hearts need to beat with courage to make these last days of Advent a special time of prayer. We know not the day nor the hour when He will come – at the time of our own death or at the end of time.

We tend at times to be very impatient people. We want things to happen right now or at least we want to know the plans. When is this going to happen? When exactly is he coming? So many things now days are instant – instant coffee, instant food, instant cereal, instant news etc. And this also carries over sometimes to our prayer life, our spiritual life.

St. James on this third Sunday of Advent gives us some examples. He says Advent patience is like the farmer waiting patiently while the soil receives the winter and spring rains. Or perhaps like the parents waiting patiently for nine months for their first child to be born, or waiting in a hospital for a word from the doctor after someone dear to us has had serious surgery. In all these instances we learn to wait. And this is the kind of waiting that characterizes Advent.

St. James also reminds us of the prophets of the Old Testament. He says: "As your models in suffering hardships and in patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." The prophet Isaiah we hear from so often in Advent. He never saw the day that the words he spoke were fulfilled, but he patiently waited for the Lord to fulfill his promises.

John the Baptist too prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and change of lifestyle. He went to jail finally and ended up losing his head. Throughout his life he spoke the Word of God fearlessly and patiently.

So we do have models of patience during Advent. We too in our day need this patience as we wait for the Lord to come. The Lord is coming, be patient and wait for Him.

Many blessings continue to be yours during the Advent season and hopefully all of us will be ready to welcome Christ our Lord at Christmas.

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