I used to wake up at 6 am every Christmas morning and run to my sister’s room and anxiously wait for it to be 7 am so that we could wake up my parents (since they wouldn’t let us wake them up any earlier) and go see what Santa brought me. Then, when I was around the age of 10, I found out the most devastating news… Santa wasn’t real! All this happiness I used to feel from Christmas suddenly went away and the holiday became a little less special. Let me tell ya though kids, the joy of Christmas and Advent doesn’t have to go away when you find out that Santa doesn’t exist. The day when your faith in Santa traveling the world to bring you that new toy that you’ve been begging for turns into faith in Jesus is a magical day. This joy can continue through the whole season of Advent to not just on Christmas day! Advent isn’t just the opening act for unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, but the season of anticipation, of “holy waiting”. As we remember the birth of Jesus Christ and his first coming we begin to anticipate his second coming. It is important to remember the four virtues that Jesus brings us during this season: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The fact that these four virtues were brought into our life because of Jesus is kind of an awesome thing. These gifts aren’t something you can find under your tree but in your heart. I pray that you are all able to feel the joy, love, peace, and hope of the Advent season. “The season of Advent, which we begin again today, restores this horizon of hope; a hope which does not disappoint for it is founded on God’s Word. A hope which does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints! He is faithful! He does not disappoint!” –Pope Francis When I was younger I remember always sneaking off to my parents’ room to sleep because I was afraid of the monsters in my closet. I felt like my parents’ bed was like a force field that no evil could enter in, and I loved it. As I grew older and my dad began to snore louder it became more difficult for me to fall asleep as peacefully as I used to in their bed so instead of running from the monsters in my closet I’d kind of just accept my fate. Until one day I really couldn’t sleep so I snuck off to my parents room, but instead of sleeping there I just woke my dad up and asked him, “How do you fall asleep so quickly?”. He told me some top secret intel that I will share with 410 and only 410. My father said that when he goes to sleep he likes to thank God for all the good things that happened to him that day. I remember walking up to my room and recalling all the good things that happened to me that day. Starting with making it to the bus in time and ending with talking to my dad, before I knew it I was asleep. Recently I’ve seen my nightly prayers turn into: “Hey Jesus, thank you for honey butter chicken biscuits, thank you for no homework night, thank you for headphones to listen to music when I’m bored, thank you for really long snap streaks. Amen.” Although that prayer is awesome it misses the point. The whole idea of thanksgiving isn’t just about stating the things that you enjoy in life but recognizing the sacrifices that have been made to allow those things to happen. This is how that prayer should go: “Hey Jesus, I want to thank you for honey butter chicken biscuits and no homework night and headphones and snap streaks. More importantly I want to thank you for my parents. For their love for me and support. They’ve sacrificed so much to give me the life I have today where I can go out and buy a honey butter chicken biscuit. And Jesus I want to thank you for my teachers and their generosity in giving me a no homework night. Life’s been tough and I’m so tired and this rest from school work has really been a blessing. Thank you for headphones, I listened to the playlist I made in New Mexico on the mission trip today and it helped me realize how blessed I am and the love that you have for me. Lastly I want to thank you for my snap streaks. Not the fact that I have them but the fact that I have someone to talk to that cares about me everyday of the year. My friends that I can turn to when I’m going through a hard time. These friends that show me time after time what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Thank you for the sacrifice you made Jesus. Without you none of this would be possible and it’s because of you that I’m able to enjoy it all. Thank you. Amen. P.s. watch over the rockets and keep them injury free.” As you get closer to your confirmation I recommend thinking of all the blessings God has put into your life. I know being in 410 was a huge blessing for me so enjoy it :) Hope y’all had a Happy Thanksgiving ! |
AuthorYour confirmation teachers - Kathleen, Eric, Sophia, and Valerie, and with contributions from 410 alumni Archives
September 2021
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