Advent Tip: Life Itself is an Advent

We all have an inner discontent that we feel, an inner thirst, an expectation of fullness that we haven’t yet achieved, a yearning and a longing for something. Remarkably, no matter how much we have or experience, no matter how good, never fully satisfies our thirst. We shouldn’t be afraid of this inner angst; rather, it’s good to recognize and embrace it, and recall that life itself has an advent dimension to it. Part of life is a longing for God to act. We are made for God and so we yearn for him. But we need to wait to experience God fully.

Saint Augustine expresses it best. “The entire life of a good Christian is in fact an exercise in holy desire. You do not see what you long for, but the very act of desire prepares you, so that when He comes, you may see and be utterly satisfied. By making us wait, God increases our desire, which in turn, enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us.”