Advent, 2nd Sunday (A) Every person is unique; each of us is handmade. We bear the fingerprints of God and we each reveal the face of God to the world. God made us for himself. We were meant to be filled with the light of Christ and to shine with the light of Christ. The emptiness we feel is not a sign that there is something wrong with us. We have a hard time remaining empty and trusting the Master to fill us and paint us. The emptiness makes us uncomfortable, so we stuff ourselves.

Tradition speaks of three sources of temptation: 1) The world. People around us aren't content to live simple lives. We think that we need to live overstuffed lives, too. 2) The flesh. Being empty is uncomfortable. 3) The Devil. God isn't the only spirit active in the world. The Enemy tricked our first parents into grasping instead of receiving. "The Tinder Swindler", so-called Simon Leviev, promised his victims a great life but just used them for their money. The Enemy does the same thing in reverse. The Lord of the Universe is already in love with us. But the Enemy tells us, "God doesn't care. There's something wrong with you. He won't fulfill you. You need to fill yourself." In doing so, we draw farther away from the true and only source of happiness.

The Enemy knows full well that only God can satisfy us. The harder we try to fill ourselves, the emptier we feel. Advent reminds us that we can't fill ourselves. The One who can fill us is already on his way. Wait for Him.

(4 Dec 2022)

Going Deeper: When and how does that feeling of emptiness manifest itself in my life? What are some of the lies I believe that make my try and fill myself? What people, activities, pleasures and things have I tried to use to fill that emptiness?

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