Where shall we begin our Advent journey? How can I celebrate this advent meaningfully? What can I do to make this advent different than the previous years’ advent? These could be some of the thoughts lingering in our minds or words spoken from the pulpit. As these thoughts linger on in our mind, the gospel of Luke gives us a clue on how to enter into the mood of Advent: “...the word of God came to John son of Zachariah, in the wilderness.” Perhaps, we could start our journey, in the ‘desert,” in solitude and in quietness. For the people of Israel, wilderness represents both the presence and the absence of God. It is a place where their faith is tested, and at the same time, they strongly felt the presence of God. The first journey through the wilderness began with Moses as he brought the people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. This exodus though the desert remains as the foundation of the experience and relationship of the people with their God. God was really journeying with them through the desert. Later, in the Christian tradition, wilderness has become a spiritual abode for all those who seek to intensify their relationship with God. Desert Fathers and Mothers– the Hermits, Ascetics and Monks, who lived mainly in the desert of Egypt, beginning around the third century CE - abandoned the cities of the pagan world to live in solitude. They ran to the desert or withdrew to the desert to spend in ardent preparation and to intensify their spiritual union with God. With the bare state of the desert and with practically no inhabitants, they were left alone, wandering in solitude and with thoughts lingering on God. In the desert, it is you and God and no one else.
Today, there is no need to look for a desert for solitude. The objective of withdrawing to the desert is to create solitude. However, we can create that solitude in where we live. When we create a quiet time and being alone wherever we live, we make that ‘desert’ come ‘real’. When we enter into that solitude, that quietness, we are present to ourselves and to God. So, during this advent, we go into this space of quietness to meet the child Jesus – a child born for us. Meeting him face to face in this very solitude situation will probably unearth the true meaning of Christmas. Let me share with you my experience of one particular Christmas break which I spent alone when I was in Rome. It was Christmas break and most of the students were away for some pastoral work at certain parishes in Italy. I did not go anywhere that year and stayed back in my room alone. In fact the whole college was empty except for a few elderly Italian priests.
On Christmas Eve, I decided to walk to St. Peter’s Square to look at the crib. It was cold and the walk took about 15 minutes. The whole street was quiet as most of the people were at home having their family meal on the Eve of Christmas as Christmas was a family affair in Europe. When I reached the square, I saw a huge magnificent crib that year. I stood before the crib, completely absorbed into it so much so I felt I was completely alone before God. That aloneness (not loneliness) was very strengthening and edifying. I felt something different – something that I could spell out clearly even today. Indeed it was a new experience, a faith-lifting experience that brought newness and meaning to my Christmas that year. It was a quiet but powerful moment. I still carry that experience until today. Sometimes I do long for that moment. I suppose something happens to us more profoundly not in a big way but in small and quiet way, hence leaving a profound impact in our lives. It is small things that sometimes count and not the big things. It is the small things that are left hidden in the inner most of our selves – heart, mind and soul. So, let us spend some quiet time everyday looking at small things as well as big things. Let them emerge, surface and lastly, let Christ rises with them, so that celebration of Christmas would become an inner proclamation of faith - a proclamation that is deeply rooted in our conviction that Christ is with us and he has saved us.
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