Thomas Griffin 12/5/24
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“God became man, so that man might become like God.” – St. Athanasius
During the four weeks of preparation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas, the Church enters the Advent season. While so many spend their weeks buying gifts and attending Christmas parties, we are all called to intentionally prepare for the reality of Christmas. The joy of this time of year and the gatherings of family and friends is an objectively good thing. However, neglecting to actually consider what Christmas Day means will mean that we miss out on the power offered to us from the manger of Bethlehem.
The word “Advent’ literally means “arrival.” There is a twofold meaning to the Advent season. First, it is the preparation for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. This is the celebration that separates us from any other religion. Christians claim that God became one of us. He “arrived” at an actual historical event 2,000 years ago. He grew up, performed miracles, forgave sins, rose from the dead, was killed and was risen.
The entire Christian news begins, however, with a baby. A baby who came into the world. A baby who arrived, but on his arrival he was turned down (there was no room for them in the inn). In the very first instance of God’s arrival, we see that human beings will have a tendency to ignore Jesus.
Babies are easily overlooked. They depend on their parents for everything. They are physically small. They do not demand attention. They are not powerful. Christmas shows us that God will not force us into a relationship with him. He does not impose friendship on us: he freely offers it but it depends on our yes.
The second meaning of Advent is that it is a preparation for the “arrival” of Jesus in his Second Coming. Catholics believe that Jesus will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead (this is based on Jesus’ words that he would do so). Advent is meant to force us to consider: if our life was demanded of us on December 25h, would we be ready to face God?
Would the arrival of our judgment find us with our priorities in line or do we tend to place things besides God as our number one focus (our laziness, our grades, sports, etc.)? Advent is meant to give us the chance to prepare our lives for the arrival of God, who desperately desires a relationship with us. Remaining rooted in Him, through daily prayer and Sunday Mass attendance, will allow us to see that the arrival of Jesus is meant to bring us hope because the God who became one of us desires for us to become more like him.
Saying yes to this offer, like Mary did, will make for the most powerful Advent possible. Mary is the first person to prepare for the birth of God. As a young girl she was given the news that she would be the Mother of God. She didn’t know exactly what this would mean for her or exactly how it would happen – and yet, she said yes. Even more so, she referenced herself as a “handmaid.” This meant she would be willing to do whatever she was commanded. She was making the commitment to have her entire life revolve around this God-child who would be born.
Her witness and words provide the blueprint for our Advent preparations. We are invited to consider the grandeur of what it means for the God of the universe to become a dependent infant. We are invited to consider what it would mean if Christ came back to judge the living and the dead on Christmas Day. Preparing for these realities in the most powerful way requires that we choose to have our lives revolve around that baby placed in a manger would save the world.
May that be our focus. Because only that will provide us with the clarity to live a life centered on the things that can never pass away. Doing that will allow us to become like the God who became one of us – which is the entire point of the Christian life.
Thomas Griffin is the chairperson of the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has a masters degree in theology and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empty Tomb Project: The Magazine. He is the author of Let Us Begin: Saint Francis’s Way of Becoming Like Christ and Renewing the World.
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