Welcome to the 2020 St. Augustine's Online Advent Calendar!
Each day, a member of our parish will share a short reflection on Advent along with a lovely image and piece of music to enrich your day. May our journey through Advent together build up and strengthen you as we anticipate the coming of our Lord!
DECEMBER 4TH
"As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their
gifts into the temple treasury. He also
saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he
said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of
their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Lk. 21:1-4
This powerful story of a widow giving everything draws
attention to the hypocrisy of Jerusalem’s leaders, as well as to the piety of a
poor woman. Scholars debate the takeaway of the story, some suggesting we
should all be prepared to give even when it hurts, while others suggest it’s
really about political power. In terms
of Advent, I find myself thinking about the leadup to the “season of giving”
which dominates the cultural celebration of Christmas that we all participate
in to greater or lesser degrees. In all the hubbub of the Holy Days – much of
it wonderful and some of it ridiculous – we find ourselves sniffing around for
that small, bright something at the heart of it all. That which is humble and
easy to miss, which slips in quietly and then scurries away, leaving behind
what is in fact a treasure. Perhaps even a glimpse of glory. If we’re serious
about knowing the much-debated “meaning of Christmas,” we would do well to be
silent, to watch and to wait.
