Advent is a wakeup call, a noisy alarm clock that reminds us to wash the sand of sleep from our eyes. This season is a clarion call to pay attention to the presence of God in our lives and to see the face of Christ in the faces of the many people that come our way—even for the shortest of time. It is an alarm that rings in the possibility of a new heaven and a new earth. It is a time of hope and anticipation, of dreaming of the way God wants the world to be. No matter how troubled our times or your personal life may seem, you are summoned to look ahead and allow every beam of hope to illuminate your life.
Do you believe that the light of Christ can shine in the darkness? Do you believe that Christ, the Prince of Peace can come again to us this Christmas? An ancient Jewish tale guides us in our reflection on these questions:
The rabbi asks his disciple, “How do you know that night is over and the light has come? The disciple answers, “When an animal approaches, and you can discern if it is a sheep or a goat?” The rabbi responds, “No.” The disciple continues, “When you look at a tree and you can tell if the fruit it bears is a fig or a peach?” Again the rabbi responds, “No.” The disciple tries again, “When a person approaches and you can tell if it is a friend or enemy?” The rabbi cries, “Listen! The night is over and the light has come when you can look into the face of every human being and see the face of a brother or sister—when you can see the face of God shining there. Yes, only then will the night be over and the new day begin.”
I’d like to propose that you ask for the grace to pay particular attention to noticing the face of God in persons you meet along your path over these next weeks before Christmas. The person who annoys you at work, a family member who doesn’t do his or her share, the bedraggled person with a basket full of merchandise in the line in front of you waiting to be checked out, the child that is hardest for you to be patient with, the young Muslim woman passing you in the food aisle, and yes, even that person who has recently hurt you. God’s face is everywhere if we only have eyes to see. Wake up, remove the sleep from your eyes, and don’t miss one of the visits of the God of Advent in the face of an unlikely sister or brother.
Sr. Terry is the Executive Director of RENEW International and a Dominican Sister from Blauvelt, NY.