Today, November 28th, marks the first Sunday of the Advent season. The month ahead is a time of preparation for the birth of Christ and an opportunity to create space in our interior worlds to receive this most precious gift – the gift of eternal salvation.
Of course, we don’t have to wait until the afterlife to experience heaven!
In each and every moment we can experience heaven – peace and connection – or hell – conflict and disconnection, depending on our perspective and behavior. Nevertheless, it often takes a cyclical moment like Advent to awaken us from our slumber and to remind us that there is more to the world than the material.
Last year at this time, I didn’t take the season too seriously. I had just launched my business and was giving it all of my focus, working with authors from around the globe to share their experiences in our first collaborative book, Leading Through the Pandemic: Unconventional Wisdom from Heartfelt Leaders. I didn’t attend church, somewhat in protest to ongoing mask mandates and the removal of singing, one of the most uplifting parts of the communal experience. And I just didn’t make any effort to connect into the meaning of the season. The season culminated with watching Christmas Eve mass on the couch, sipping red wine.
This year, however, I’ve made a commitment to myself to shift my focus from the external world to my left and right and to look up to heaven and ground down to earth to prepare myself for the gift of Jesus in a more meaningful way. To start, this looks like creating dedicated time to reflect on the meaning of Advent. I’ve signed up for the daily Good Catholic Journey to Christmas reflections and there first email today inspired me to write this post! Today’s message was all about AWAKENING, which made me smile. I had written a chapter in a book titled Awakening a year and a half ago that inspired my entire journey of releasing and recreating ever since!
There was so much gold in this morning’s reflection, which focused on awakening from our spiritual slumber. The reflection shared:
What does it mean to be spiritually awake?
It means to be aware of the true state of affairs: to remember that earthly life is temporary, and eternity forever; that God is present with us, whether people acknowledge Him or not; that we have a vocation to holiness and a heaven that awaits us; that the devil has every intention of preventing us from this holy destiny.
Yes, the true state of affairs – that God is present with us at all times. The world offers us endless distractions, trumped up fears, and sources of division. God offers us true appreciation for our holy nature, never-ending optimism, and joy. Which do I choose? Which do I focus on? This season, I am being called deeply into a renewed communion with God, trusting that HE has the wisdom and truth that I desire in order to live out my life in an every more purposeful way.
I’m so excited to connect into these reflections each morning and to create space in my life for deeper connection to God – and my fellow man.
How are you awakening to the truth?
How are you honoring the opportunity of this Advent season to become spiritually awake?
P.S. – As a companion to your spiritual connection this month, check out our latest best-selling multi-author book with leaders from around the globe from various faith backgrounds – The X-Factor: The Spiritual Secrets Behind Successful Executives & Entrepreneurs – available on Amazon.