Prepare your heart

The wonderful season of Christmas is approaching, and it is very easy to get overwhelmed with all of the Christmas decorations, relatives coming for the holidays, buying presents for friends and family and many other things that can distract us and steal the peace from our hearts.

The world always uses the tactic of getting us concerned and overwhelmed through one-time sales and Christmas parties. Though some of these things are good, they turn our attention from calming down and taking time to clear our minds and hearts for the coming of Christ, which is the whole point of Advent.

We have to set aside time during this Advent period to prepare for Christ. But, how? How can we prepare for Christ amidst all this chaos?

The answer is in this Bible passage from 1 Kings 19:11-13: “Then the LORD said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD – but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake – but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire – but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah?”

When Elijah covers his face and enters the cave, this reminds me of the shepherds and the three kings bowing before our Lord in the manger. We, too, should imitate this posture of reverence by visiting Jesus in the quiet places where you can hear his voice and properly prepare for his arrival. 

The scene of the Nativity is excellently described in the song “Silent Night.” It is silent so that we can listen and hear the Lord’s voice. The best place to do this is in front of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, either in person or live at home.

During this time you can give your problems, doubts and frustrations to the Lord and ask him to grant you peace in return. This is a perfect way to invite Christ into your heart, so he can grant you peace.

You could also go to Mass on weekdays if possible so you can literally receive Jesus in your heart. You could ask him to stay with you through the “Stay With Me, Lord” prayer by St. Padre Pio. Jesus is the prince of peace, and if you only ask, you will receive! 

But, Jesus cannot reign as king of our hearts if we are constantly distracted and do not give him the praise he deserves.

During the rest of this Advent season, do not fall for the century-old tricks of the world to get you distracted from the true purpose of Advent, and do not let those distractions rob you of the peace our Lord so wants you to have.

And one last thing: Once you have received this peace, remember to share it with the rest of the world through a kind smile and a helping hand because after all, “’Tis the season to be jolly!”

Greg Zambrano was born in Colombia and raised in Miami. After serving in both the Marine Corps and the Air Force for 10 years, he became a stay-at-home father. He and his wife have been married for more than 19 years and have two daughters who are now home-schooled. They enjoy going to nearby parks and playgrounds, especially cooler weather. Also, as a family, they enjoy going to the movies, eating at restaurants and attending Mass on Saturday at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Shrine on State Street.