Having Trust Despite Appearances

Very often we are most likely to hear Advent described as a season of anticipation, of waiting, a time to slow things down a bit.  I have no reason not to agree, although it's always been a little difficult for me to accept the slowing down part in the busiest season of the year.  I dread think what would happen if I were to shut down right before Christmas, "You do the shopping and getting everything ready Dear, I'm going to kick back and be spiritual."  Although I know the intention is not to drop out of the season, but often I get the feeling that those who tell us to slow down either don't have families or they're not being quite honest with us.

Certainly anticipation and waiting are part of what Advent is all about, and undoubtedly amid all the busyness of the year it doesn't hurt a thing to remember to take a moment to recall the source of every blessing: we mustn't forget to pause from our activities for a moment of prayer.  However, what has been standing out even more to me lately in the Advent message is the idea that we are to trust God despite appearances, despite what the world tells us, and above all else, we are to trust God despite what the facts have to say.  Maybe the truest meaning of Advent has to do with trusting God when the circumstances come to tell us that we've been abandoned.

In today's first reading the idea of trust, as it is lived in the life of the mother of Samson, serves to remind us of Elizabeth's trust, or even Mary's trust, despite what the facts had to say.  For me, Advent, and consequently Christmas, is about somehow getting around the biggest stumbling block for faith that exists: what other people tell us is reality.  How else are we able to comprehend things like the childless giving birth or visitations by angels, or even the virgin birth of our Lord?  How else in our own lives can we overcome trial, hardships, maybe failure?  We too must be about birthing the improbable.

There is a sense in which we can, and perhaps must, allow the faith that overcomes obstacles, moves mountains, and calms the raging seas to be a part of how we face the world in which we live.

I think it's important in our lives to have a supernatural kind of faith--not a credulous faith, or one that treats the laws of nature, which were established by God as if they were nonexistent, but a faith that overcomes.  Having trust despite appearances is all about believing God and being able to receive God's greatest gift.  Isn't that what we truly anticipate in Advent?  During Christmastime are we not celebrating the greatest gift ever given?  I'm only suggesting that we take our faith in the gift a step further--we must allow it to empower our lives and to bless us abundantly even when all circumstances point to believing the contrary. 

Comments

[Honora]

Beautiful, and amen --the only thing more important than being willing to die for knowing Who we come from (not what), and to Whom we go as Adopted children, is to be willing to live in that knowing--as you say--day by day.

A faith that overcomes.

:-) Have yourself a merry little Christmas, DD. I hope your heart is glad.

[Gabrielle]

deacon dan, this "trust in God despite all appearances" that you speak of during Advent reminds me of something I read earlier in December from Fr. Ron Rolheiser's little book of Advent reflections entitled "Daybreak". In the very first reflection called 'The Rhythm of Love', he talks about Advent being a time of yearning and longing, and goes on to say that during Advent we can learn how to carry our tensions without rushing to resolve them all. You spoke of "birthing the improbable", and he speaks of Advent as a period of gestation in order to "give birth to what's divine". Between the two of you, I am seeing a personal spiritual analogy here with the Incarnation which I had not seen before. Thank you.