The Advent Conspiracy

Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois

There is an interesting movement afoot during the Christmas Season this year. People around the country have become involved in something called the “Advent Conspiracy”. They are making it known that there is another way to fully celebrate the holidays. They also pray that we might change the way that we operate throughout the year and suggest that we consider the following things as a part of Advent and Christmas:

• Worship Fully: It’s a season where we are called to put down our burdens and lift a song up to our God. It’s a season where love wins, peace reigns, and where life is celebrated with each breath. A true thankfulness will arise as we awaken to the powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive.
• Spend Less: We are asked to buy one less present this Christmas. There is always a gift that is given just out of obligation. We are aware when we receive such a present. There is little joy that accompanies them. It is a small sacrifice but one that will be significant. Replace the present with the gift of presence. It is a chance to become more available to the people in our lives.
• Give More: This is a season of making time for love. We can go sledding with the kids, make great cookies, dig up old family traditions and practice them again. Take some time to sit down and listen to family members and friends without voicing our opinions, advice or constructive criticism. It is all about deepening relationships.
• Love All: It is not so difficult to love the loveable things and people in our lives. The problem comes when we are asked to love and accept the annoying or disturbing. Everyone in our lives is placed there for a reason. The challenge of expanding our love to as many of them as we can is precisely what we are asked to do.

It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are often consumed by the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world. The thing to remember about the world, though, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable. If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness. No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way. Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.

We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity of the life force that flows through us regardless of our circumstances. In so-doing we are one with the great mystery that is life.