Light is one of the powerful images of the Advent season. It occurs in both our first and second readings on this First Sunday of Advent. The Prophet Isaiah invites us to “walk in the light of the Lord!” Then St. Paul calls us on “to throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
In fact, in Morning Prayer during this first week of Advent and then again on December 23, the Church reminds us of the promise: “Your light will come, Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty. You will see his glory within you.”
Though our search for purpose and meaning winds through darkness, light will come. Though we would rather keep the ugly parts of our lives hidden, radiant beauty will dawn upon us. Though so much of our experience feels ordinary, worn out, and stuck in the mud, we will see his glory within us.
Through faith, we hold to these promises that are fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who was sent into the world to illuminate our lives with beauty and glory. But what does that mean, really? The work of Advent is not to somehow summon this beauty and glory ourselves, but to simply create room in our hearts for Jesus, who is already there, bringing us warmth and light.
Our goal during this season is to gently blow on the glowing embers of his presence until they start to flame. The first week is about waking up; the second challenges us to prepare a way for Christ in our lives; the third is focused on rejoicing; and the fourth urges us to receive God’s light. In this way, we prepare ourselves to wonder at the self-gift of God, which we celebrate in the Incarnation, and then to walk anew in his light every day.
And so we pray, Creator of heaven and earth, burn away whatever dims the light of your presence in our lives, whatever has lulled to sleep our minds and our hearts. Help us to see you with clarity, and to feel the warmth of your love.
Come, Lord Jesus, come be our light!
This week’s reflection is written by Josh Noem, who is the Editorial Director of Ave Maria Press, a Catholic publishing company that is a ministry of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers. Josh has a long history of ministering with the Congregation. After graduating with a Master of Divinity Degree from the University of Notre Dame, he and his wife, Stacey, worked from 2005-2012 at Campus Ministry at the University of Portland. Returning to Notre Dame, Josh served as editor at FaithND and Grotto Network before arriving at Ave Maria Press. An accomplished writer, his book, The End of Ending, was recognized as one of the best Catholic novels of 2021.