5 Powerful Ways to Discover Advent Asceticism & Spiritually Prepare for Christmas
Advent is a time of joyful expectation.
With the celebration of Christmas anticipated throughout the month of December, it can be hard to know what to do spiritually to prepare.
Do we sacrifice things and do penance? Should we fast while most people feast?
Loving Presence, the Advent Challenge on the Exodus 90 app, proposes concrete ways to embrace a joyful asceticism that can give Advent a distinct expression.
1) Growing in Hope
Why do we pray and sing for Emmanual to come when he came 2,000 years ago?
Advent places us back within Israel’s hope for a Savior because the world still needs His peace and loving presence among us. We read the Book of Isaiah and pray through the ancient prophecies knowing that we, too, must grow in hope for all that the newborn Messiah continues to bring into the world.
2) Incarnational Prayer
Catholics traditionally pray the Angelus three times a day, but it’s all the more fitting to do so during Advent because it focuses on the Incarnation:
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.”
Praying the Angelus and other prayers, such as Saint Andrew’s Novena and the Marian antiphon "Alma Redemptoris Mater," keeps our minds focused on the goal of Advent: Christ’s Incarnational presence, taking on our flesh out of his infinite love for us.
3) Loving Presence
Christmas is all about the loving presence of God, who chose to become a helpless babe to save us.
As we embrace joyful asceticism, we can become a loving presence for others, making the most of the holiday gatherings. They can become a sacrifice of love by pouring ourselves out to our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers by becoming uncommonly present and attentive to them.
4) Counting Time
Counting the time to Christmas has become one of our most cherished traditions, whether it follows the weeks through the Advent Wreath or each day with an Advent Calendar.
It helps to follow the narrative of salvation history converging on the coming of the Messiah, reading from the Bible in the Jesse Tree, or, for men, following daily reflections on the Exodus 90 app.
In addition to Bible stories, there are many great stories to read as a family through the season, such as those found in Home for Christmas: Stories for Young and Old.
5) Prayerful Silence
Finally, silence, more than anything else, captures the unique asceticism of Advent.
When God entered the world, He chose to do so in a hidden way, revealing Himself to particular witnesses: the shepherds and Wise Men. We commemorate this great silence in the famous Christmas carol, “Silent Night.”
During Exodus 90’s challenge, we are taking 10 minutes of silence each morning and evening. Taking time for silent prayer every day will help us to focus on the reason for the season, turning our hopeful expectation toward Jesus’ loving presence in the manger.