MAKING ROOM THIS ADVENT

I have heard so many of you say, especially families who are buying new homes and moving out of their apartments, “we can’t believe how much we have accumulated over the years that we have been living in this apartment.” I don’t know about you, but I am natural hoarder. Accumulating “stuff” comes naturally to us. So, it has become a practice in our home to clean up our storage closets and basement space to look for things that we have not been using for over a year and give it away to local charity or to a family who needs that item.This has often created some space or made some room in our home. Remember, this “making the space” is not in preparation to buy more things. This is our way of decluttering our home. Decluttering the tangible things around the house can be so freeing. This works the same way when it comes to matters of the heart or the spiritual aspects of our life. This thought of decluttering or making room led to me to think about the season of Advent.

The season of Advent, which begins after Thanksgiving, are the four weeks of preparation that leads to Christmas. Advent is a time of looking back and looking forward to the time when we will meet the Risen Christ face to face. Advent simply means the coming (of the Lord) or the Parousia (coming of the Messiah a second time). The first Advent was ushered with the birth of Jesus and the second Advent is “yet to come.” The church at this present time is occupying this “in-between” space amid the first and second Advent. This is probably the reason that we hear sermons on the theme of “anticipation, waiting, be alert, watch out, and make room.”

The text that we will read during one of our Sundays in Advent is the call of John, the Baptist, who echoing the call of Isaiah, is asking us to make room for the Messiah who is coming. “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ (Isaiah 40:4-5). This was Isaiah’s call to the people to prepare, to make room for the coming of the Messiah. Therefore, “making room” or “creating spaces” is so central to the season of Advent.

Ask yourself, what areas of my life require decluttering? If we are honest with ourselves, all areas of our life. The catholic monk, St. Ignatius, is famous for asking this question about decluttering our lives and making room for Jesus. St. Ignatius “taught his followers to ask in a consistent and disciplined manner: Is there anything getting in the way of my relationship with God? Are there any inordinate attachments cluttering up my heart or soul that might impede my spiritual progress?” 2 This is something that you need to decide.

Decluttering or “letting go” is never an easy process. It can be painful; however, it is often freeing. This act of letting go must be intentional on your part. Also, this is the only time that you make space to fill it with something else. When you free up your time in the morning, fill it up with devotion and prayer. When you free up sometime in the evening, spend it with your family. When you make space at your table, invite someone to share a meal. Remember, I didn’t say, IF you will make sometime instead, WHEN. “If” is an option but “when” is an invitation or to push the limit, it can be a command.

In the end, we make space or declutter our lives so that we can invite the King of Glory to be a part of our lives. Advent ends on Christmas Day, when we celebrate the birth of Christ, who is the King of Glory. Jesus came so that He can become part of our lives and restore a relationship that was broken in the Garden.

Growing up we sang this song, not necessarily during Christmas but other times as well. This is a song inviting the Lord Jesus into the spaces we have decluttered. But the second verse of this song (this is my first time noticing) is even more telling. May be this Advent as you make room and invite the Lord Jesus, also, pray for courage and resolve to make Christ know to others, not only during Advent but also in 2025.

Into my heart, into my heart,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;

Come in today, come in to stay;

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Out of my heart, out of my heart,

Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;

Shine out today, shine out alway;

Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.

Blessings on your Advent journey,

1 There is an article with the similar title, and this led me to ponder on this theme of “making room.”

2 https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/making-room-this-advent/