Advent is a season where the faithful can “much more deliberatively just enter into silence and … into that more meditative feel of the season, of hopefulness,” said Father John Paul Erickson, pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale. It also brings the “beautiful practice” of the Advent wreath used in many Catholic homes, he said.
“The reflection and the use of fire and gazing upon this natural symbol of Jesus; candles are symbols of Jesus in so many ways, light of the world — but they also light up a room by dying,” he said. “They spend themselves to light up a room, which is a beautiful reflection of Christ himself, who has come to be born to die for love of us.”
Father Erickson recently joined “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to discuss how the faithful can more fully enter into the Advent season.
Father Erickson said a critical part of the Advent season is growing in patience, in watchfulness, in waiting. And it is a time to prepare for the Messiah, making it a good time to “reflect upon what are those areas in my life that I truly need Jesus,” Father Erickson said.
Many parts of one’s life are likely “fairly well along in the conformity to Christ,” he said, but many parts are broken “and that are consistently saying ‘no’ to God. And I think Advent’s a time in which we can really think about those times so as to better receive Jesus, who again has come as a Messiah … a Messiah who comes to save us.”
Advent and Lent are much more similar “than perhaps we might like,” Father Erickson said. Advent is not as penitential, but it has a penitential aspect, and of self-examination, “and perhaps even a stern examination,” he said, because “to the degree that we can acknowledge our sinfulness … I would offer the direct proportion of joy in receiving Jesus.”
Greater awareness of one’s sinfulness opens one’s heart more “to who Jesus truly is, the king of all and the Messiah,” Father Erickson said. “Advent … should fill us with a little bit of fear and should prompt us to greater love.”
Father Erickson advised using the Advent season well for introspection, reflection, reading the Scriptures, “listening to the promises of God, which, by the way … the fulfillment of those promises almost always also involves a kind of suffering, a purgation,” he said.
But God is a Father who keeps his promises, Father Erickson said, “and in Advent, we remember that and we look forward to the ultimate promise. And that is his vision, the vision of God forever in heaven, the face of Jesus, the face of the child of Bethlehem. We will see forever those who have persevered in self-control and in love of neighbor.”
And throughout the Christmas season, “remember that we are bound to love the poor,” Father Erickson said, and remember that our budgets are “theological statements about what matters to us.” Jesus will audit all of our receipts, he said. “And let’s make the giving season all year round, especially giving to those who can’t give back.”
At the end of the interview, Conley asked Father Erickson for his thoughts on good ways to enter and maintain a Christmas spirit through the entire Christmas season. To hear his response and to hear the interview, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. Dec. 1 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. Dec. 2 and 2 p.m. Dec. 3.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Father Erich Rutten, pastor of Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes in Minneapolis, who discusses interfaith relationships; and School Sister of Notre Dame Stephanie Spandl, who describes her vocation discernment and how and where her religious order serves the local Church.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at https://anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
