Look Busy!

Many Sundays, in the middle of our eucharistic prayer, we say 'Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.' The last phrase often reminds me of one of my favorite bumperstickers which says 'Jesus is coming. Look busy!'

Advent is the season when we are asked to prepare for Jesus' coming. We mean this on several levels. The most obvious is the celebration of his birth at Christmas. We also mean his coming again at the completion of time to make all things right. Finally, we mean that we hope that soon he comes into our own hearts and lives in some new way. Because of this, the church asks us to take time in Advent to be still and reflect and prepare him rooom.

But for most of us, just the opposite happens; life accelerates in December. The trick, I find, is to follow the advice of the bumpersticker and learn the art of merely looking busy. We may be shopping or going to events or decorating or whatever. But on the inside we can, over time learn to nurture a sense of stillness and openess. I know three things that help.

1. Take time each morning, first thing, before the day starts, to pray. A psalm, a paragraph or two of some other scripture, some personal prayer and the Lord's prayer is enough to start. Maybe try to do it before you even leave your room. It sets a tone to the day.

2. Carry something with you. A cross or a prayer rope or beads in your pocket is a simple and concrete reminder of the real center of your life.

3. Occasionally say a few arrow prayers. These are simple and short like 'thank you God,' 'help me God,' or the Jesus prayer which is 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' These help us keep the main thing the main thing, even at a shopping mall.

Jesus is coming, look busy! But on the inside, be at peace.

I hope to see many of you at my home on Sunday afternoon following the carol singing at the 5th Avenue Health Care Center.