Advent Message 2006
Jesus Is Coming!

Peace and Good in Christ!

As we move into Advent, I am reflecting on how well we really prepare for His coming. Of course, He has already come in time, but we recall this turning point event of all history liturgically as we enter Advent. We also reflect on His coming at the end of time, and His intermediate coming every moment of every day through Word, Sacrament, and Spirit.

He is also coming again. We do not know exactly how and when, but we know it is sooner than it was a millennium, a century, or even a day and moment ago. Do we really prepare a place for Him?

St. Bernard of Clairvaux also reminds us that He comes at every moment of every day between His two historical comings. Do we really walk with a moment by moment awareness of this miracle? In Catholic tradition we call this the "sacrament of the present moment." An awareness of this "sacrament" will change your life, and change it for the better.

There is also that "coming" of Christ when all but those alive at His second coming will face the inevitable conclusion of this life through death. Christian and Buddhist Monastic tradition places a high value on "meditation on death." This is not meant to make us morbid. It is meant to make us live every day as if it were our last. This makes us live life much more fully and with great love. As the country song a year or so ago said, "Live like you were dying." I doubt if that country artist knew how close to the ancient monks of the desert that sentiment was!

For myself, God has been calling me from the more normal solitude of our semi eremitical life at Little Portion Hermitage into greater religious reclusion. This means that I live in seclusion from the community a few days each week. Normally I would join the community for common prayer and meals each day. Now I do these things in the solitude of my cell.

In this solitude God has been calling me closer to Himself. Rather than cutting me off from my community, the Church, or the world, I have sensed a greater intimacy with all through this more intense time of solitude. For example, I love to pray the Divine Office (the psalms and canticles with New Testament readings and intercessions) in our Charity Chapel with the monastic community at the Hermitage. But I am learning an even greater power in praying them alone with the Alone. The same is true of extra prayer, fasting, or vigils, not to mention work in my cell.

Each moment becomes a privilege to live this life that so many hermit saints, known and unknown, have lived before me. I am most aware of their presence as I go about my daily schedule in solitude. I am also aware of the presence of my community, the Church, and the entire world as I am allowed to live this way of life more deeply. It often moves me to tears, which I do not come by naturally.

How well do we use our gifts that God has given us? You may not be called to religious reclusion, but God has given each of us a totally unique and wonderful gift. Please enter into this gift. Do not waste the precious gift of life that places us above all creatures to be able to follow Jesus and participate in His good news.

As I heard about the Pope's visit to Turkey, I was amazed at how everyone readied themselves for this momentous occasion. Christians and Moslems, Orthodox and Roman Catholic, secular and religious people prepared to greet the Holy Father. And rightly so. This visit was most historic for religious and secular history.

But if we prepare so much for a man, how much more should we prepare for the Son of Man who comes daily into our life, has come already in history, and will come again at the consummation of the world? If we prepare so well for a mere human (important though he may be) how well do we prepare for God?

Chances are, if you are like me, we tend to take God for granted. Jesus was visible, a God/man among us, but He ascended to heaven and is no longer that visible on earth. Oh yes, we have the Church, and she is strong and infallible in extraordinary things, but she is frail and fallible in many ordinary things. For many of us Jesus seems to have left us quite alone. Sure, He has given us His Spirit, but the Spirit is invisible, and can seem a bit intangible at times. So we slide easily into religious mediocrity.

This Advent let's rouse ourselves from this mediocrity, and dare to live as radical followers of Jesus. Let's rouse ourselves to the life of a saint to which we are all called. Time is shorter than it was even a moment ago. There is no time to lose. As Scripture says, "It is now the hour to wake from your sleep," and, "if today you hear His voice, harden not your heart." Today is the day! Let this Advent be the season. Let us rise up and follow Jesus without compromise.

In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
Founder, Spiritual Father and General Minister
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage