Daily Advent Reflection: November 30
First Monday of Advent | November 30
Psalms 1, 2, 3 · 4, 7
Isa. 1:10-20
1 Thess. 1:1-10
Luke 20:1-8
We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As I read through the scripture for today in order to prepare this reflection it was this piece of 1 Thessalonians that stuck out to me. I continued to read everything, but it was these few lines that I kept coming back to. It was that idea of giving thanks to God that really resonated with me. I am a person who loves Thanksgiving because it is a time to focus on our many blessings (and tasty food). I love that Thanksgiving doesn’t require gifts or elaborate decorations. No on expects you to have a special Thanksgiving outfit. In a normal year you get to hang out with family and friends, enjoy food and likely some football and give thanks for all that you have.
Too often I find myself trapped in the business of December. Did I finish the gift list, the decorations, the cookies? Did I get all the parties and concerts and school events on the calendar? What about all of the events at church – have I fit those in as well?
Sadly, that rushing around has left me feeling not so thankful and forgetting the real joy that can be found during the season of Advent. This year will look different of course. My father has decided not to have all of us kids over out of caution for his health. Our friend group is staying low key as well because of the nature of our jobs. This left me feeling even more disappointed about facing December and then this snippet of scripture had me reconsidering. What if I use this as a time to be thankful? What if I take December to prepare? What if I take time to get closer to God? Maybe we can spend time as a family preparing for Christmas instead of running all around?
The idea of a “labor of love” spoke to me as well. What are those things I do because I LOVE them, not because I feel I MUST do them? Christmas treats are a labor of love for me, but in the busyness I have pushed that tradition aside. My daughter, a teenager, has found helping the altar guild as her labor of love. I know as I sit and think more I will add to the list the things that we have forgotten in the busyness. I will aim to spend more time on labors of love and less on busyness.
I look forward to the challenge of changing up traditions and finding new ways to celebrate all of our blessings even when things are looking so different this year.
As this season of Advent begins consider how will you give thanks for the blessings God has given you. Is there anything you need to adjust in your daily practice to come closer to God? What new traditions might you forge during this unusual time? What labors of love will you spend time with?
Margaret Done
St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church, Greendale