Adult Education: December 2008

What are you doing for Advent this year?

by Lorene Hanley Duquin

Maybe you looked at the title of this little article and thought to yourself, “I already have too much to do!  This is just one more thing to feel guilty about!”

Don’t stop reading!

Advent isn’t about adding to the list of things to do or trying to make people feel guilty.   It’s supposed to be a time of joyful anticipation, a time of waiting for the Christ Child.  So ask yourself one simple question:

What would Advent be like if I decided to set aside 10 minutes a day for quiet prayer?

It doesn’t even have to be ten minutes all at once!  You can break the ten minutes up into smaller segments:

 *    Two minutes in the morning before you get out of bed.

 *    Two minutes at lunchtime.

 *    Two minutes during your afternoon break.

 *    Two minutes after dinner.
 *    Two minutes at night before you go to sleep.

If you’re wondering what you’re going to do in those two minute intervals, the answer is simple. You’re going to turn your breathing into a prayer.   For two minutes, five times a day, imagine that you are breathing in God’s love, and breathe out frustration, worry, anger and resentment, negativity, guilt or anything else that’s bothering you.  As each two minute session draws to a close, think about how it feels to be filled with God’s love.

This little Advent exercise relieves tension and helps you to prepare a place in your heart for the coming of the Christ Child.  It will help you to experience the peace and joy that the Babe in Bethlehem brings. And it only takes two minutes of your time, five times a day!

After Christmas, you may find that you miss the quiet intimacy of the two-minute intervals.  But once again, there’s a simple solution.   Just make the two-minute intervals part of your New Year’s Resolution!