Maria ByrneSet aside some time every day to focus on the meaning of Advent and the sense of waiting and preparing
I always enjoy a night out in Dublin in the lead-up to Christmas. I have some good friends who I’ve known since I was a teenager and it’s always a great chance to catch up and to have a meal, a laugh and a chat before the pre-Christmas rush really sets in.
This year, the city was buzzing with activity, the lights were lovely and the crowds thronging in the streets looked like they were all heading to parties or social gatherings. It stuck me that the celebrations for Christmas seem to start earlier and earlier every year.
Another thing that struck me as I tripped down Grafton Street in my heels was the number of homeless people who huddled in doorways and alleyways, quietly watching the revellers pass by.
I spotted one young man, who looked no more than 22 or 23 years old sheltering with a companion in the alcove in front of a shop. There was a stark contrast between the twinkling lights and festive bows and the grey, rough blanket which covered the sad-looking youth.
Shocking news
Just days after my night out, I heard the shocking news about the death of John Corrie, a homeless man who was found dead in a doorway, just meters away from Dáil Éireann. He’d been interviewed a few months earlier for a radio feature. Ironically, he’d mentioned several times that everyone deserved a chance.
I think his simple words made a lot of people stop and ponder on what Advent is really about. I’m sure that organisations like Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, Crosscare and Merchants Quay Ireland saw increases in donations in the wake of this sad death. Sometimes it takes a human tragedy to make us stop in our tracks and focus on the true meaning of life, religion and the birth of a baby in a manger in Bethlehem.
If anything could increase my blood pressure, it would have to be the extra stress that comes with the preparations for the Christmas season. While others smugly state that their ribboned, gift-tagged presents have been wrapped since September, I struggle to get into Christmas gear.
John Corrie’s lonely death made me wonder if Advent is all about getting into gear for Christmas or is there something else that we should be turning our hearts to?
This year, I decided that, as a family, we’d set aside some time every day to focus on the meaning of Advent and the sense of waiting and preparing.
I found a lively, thought-provoking video on YouTube called ‘Advent Conspiracy’. Less than two minutes long, this video challenges people to re-think Advent. It lists the things that we often get hassled about at this time of year, like office parties, fruitcakes, the latest model of iPhone, crowded shopping malls and gifts, gifts and more gifts.
It suggests taking a step back, breathing and asking ourselves if this is what Christmas truly means.
We stand in line to buy things that others don’t need while others must stand in line because they can’t afford the things they need.
We attend parties we don’t want to attend when the time would be better spent with our families, the ones we love. The message was that there is another way, a better way.
To get the children involved in the Advent spiritual preparations, I logged on to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference website to view their Advent Calendar. There isn’t a child out there that doesn’t like the idea of opening a little virtual door every day.
Behind each door is a variety of videos, readings, reflections, prayers and music that all centre around the theme of waiting in hope and wonder. There are practical suggestions too with Day 3 having an account of the Dublin diocesan food appeal which appeals to parishioners to donate food to assist those most in need.
For a child, it’s more concrete to be involved in the actual act of buying some definite food items to donate to an appeal, rather than just listening to vague suggestions about helping the poor.
Lots of parishes have organised a series of Advent events and ceremonies, some catering particularly for young people, like the Youth Advent Nights for over-16s being held in the Church of the Irish Martyrs in Naas, Co. Kildare. Most parishes will have similar events that encourage a step away from the shopping and party rollercoaster, even if only for a hour or two.
No parent or family can be totally uninvolved in the modern Christmas culture where Christmas seems to be in full swing once December begins.
There will be social events to attend and shopping lists to be ticked off. We can have little control over that, but we can control our family culture and foster a feeling of expectation and calm.
We can carve out a few evenings where everyone slows down and calms down.
A family chat, some prayers together, hot chocolate and a Christmas story is all that’s required to create lovely memories and to demonstrate to children that we care about the real Christmas story, not just the Christmas that the shops and adverts sell us.
We’re willing to reach out and give our children and loved ones a chance to experience our time, our love and the shared joy of waiting for the celebration of the birth of baby Jesus.