Last week, Fr. Walsh and Ken Firling took a quick trip to Haiti to see the newest, almost complete chapel of our sister parish. Ken tells this story in an email on their return as we were preparing to sell the animals for our alternative giving project: “After a meeting at the chapel we took a short walk to a nearby humble dwelling and spoke with a woman as a bevy of children stared at us. I happened to ask her if she had received an animal from the livestock program. She said no, that she was on the waiting list. In sending this email to you I am reminded of that woman and the wonderful assistance you are giving to make the lives of people better. I want to do all I can to continue the success and get that woman off the “waiting list.”
That story brought tears to my eyes because, having been to Haiti many times myself, I could picture the scene. It also got me to thinking about that term ‘waiting list’ and how all of us have been on one at some point in our lives:
- a standby, waiting list at the airport
- a waiting list for housing
- or college entrance
- or elective surgery, etc.
It’s a list that’s important to us, and that waiting part demands not only our patience and persistence, but also our surrender.
That’s what this season of Advent is all about…waiting. In our readings, we heard how the prophets waited when Jesus said to his apostles: “For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it.” Each Advent the Church intentionally gives us the opportunity to enter into this process of waiting, too.
- We wait with gratitude to celebrate the birth of Jesus in time,
- we wait in expectation for the Second Coming of Christ,
- and we wait with alertness to the daily coming of the Lord in our lives in a myriad of ways, often unexpected.
Is waiting easy? No, it’s difficult. And waiting in Advent is particularly challenging because our pre-Christmas culture thrives on busyness. Advent is an invitation to ‘put on the brakes’ despite all the events that are trying to grab our weary hearts. You know them well. Instead, while we’re on the ‘waiting list’ this Advent season, let it be a time of intentional quiet prayer, reflection on scriptures, and sincere reconciliation. These are the primary ways we wait, ways that renew our hearts.
