For our 10th Advent Avalanche we bring you an excellent production by “Soul Pancake”. From the first time we saw this video, we decided to use it on Catholic-link as preparation material for Christmas. We really liked it! Whilst it isn’t specifically Christmas-themed, I think the message within it is directly related to the moment we are living in the liturgical calendar.
Apostolic Elements:
In Advent we are waiting for the birth of Our Lord. For us Catholics, Christmas is not just a time to celebrate an event that changed the history of humanity – the Incarnation – but also a privileged moment to allow the Lord to be born again in our lives and transform our hearts. In Advent, we are preparing for this new birth. With care and love, we do all that we should allow God to enter and illuminate our lives.
On the other hand, we celebrate the birth of a God who is made flesh and who came to earth to love, suffer, feel and think as man. Nothing human was foreign to Him, He asked His disciples to ensure the same was true for them too. Christ never preached a disembodied religion. On the contrary, He insisted that we love one another, care for those most in need and that we reconcile ourselves with others before we pray humbly for our daily bread and make our offerings to God. Through the Incarnation heaven and earth became intimately joined.
What has all this got to do with the video? There are many beautiful ways to prepare ourselves to encounter God at Christmas, but if one stands out amongst them, it is love and reconciliation. Love eminently prepares us for the arrival of God. It is not without reason that the new commandment which Jesus gives us is the commandment of love. As we love one another, we love God in a special way, and we open ourselves to His Grace. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love”. (1Jn 4:7–8).
I think that today’s video is a little example of what we can do to be a bit more prepared to come to the Lord’s crib: remind your mother how much you love her and how much you appreciate all that she does for you; reconcile yourself with the friend you’ve fallen out with, talk to them about whatever it was that has affected your relationship; stop the lie which is saddening you, have the courage to face to us to whatever it is and ask for forgiveness, you will be understood; strengthen your relationship with your most loved one; improve your attitude towards those you find most difficult to get on with; start afresh if it is necessary, etc… Remember that Advent is a special time, if you do all this out of love for God, He will not forsake you. In Christ you will find the strength that you were lacking to make these little “steps” of generosity. Prepare your heart in love so that Love is born and takes root in your life.
Do not be afraid if what you do is not “the gold, frankincense and myrrh of the kings from the East”; if your little act of love is enough to open a little crack of your heart, God’s Love will do the rest. Remember that Jesus made a lowly manger the crib for the King of Kings. Imagine what He can do with your heart!
PS. I take this opportunity to dedicate this post to Fr. Juan Ruiz who has been working on the project #benedicencia via Twitter and Facebook. I am sure that he’s going to really like this video.
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