• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Rejoice—even in an imperfect Advent journey

December 16, 2018
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

It’s the third week of Advent, and Christmas—which seemed so far off just a few weeks ago—is looming large.There are gifts to buy and wrap and deliver, cards to send, and a thousand other things to do that probably don’t matter that much.

The real question is: Are we ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth?

This weekend we went to our parish’s live nativity. For the first time, I saw a live Baby Jesus. He was snuggly tucked in the arms of his brother, who was playing Joseph. And I was struck by the beautiful innocence of the reenactment.

It wasn’t polished. But it was perfect.

The children’s creation of the greatest story ever told was beautiful—even more so because it was genuine and low-key. The children got to be themselves, even if that meant a shepherd was pretending his sheep was talking to the audience. My favorite moment, in fact, might have been when one of the angels yawned.

The images of Christmas are always pristine and perfect in our mind, but we know that isn’t how that first Christmas really was. And the memories we are creating today are full of yawning angels. That’s just fine. We can and should strive for perfection, but there’s something about Advent that carries us closer to Jesus even when we feel we are faltering.

At Sunday Mass I found myself looking at the candles on the Advent wreath—three candles burning strong. Two weeks ago when the priest lit the first candle, the flame fizzled out. Last week, the candle struggled to stay lit through the Mass, but made it. And today that first candle still didn’t have the strongest flame on the wreath, but it held its own.

That candle, I thought, is a little like me. I know my purpose. I want to shine bright for Jesus. But that can be difficult.

Look, though, at all this third week of Advent offers us—and that spark it gives us to continue in our journey.

Gaudete. Rejoice. Let us rejoice. Christmas is coming—so soon. God will become man. Our Savior will be born. We are called to rejoice even if we feel we might be struggling to keep our flame burning brightly.

So let’s worry a little less about all those pre-Christmas tasks, shine however we can, and know Jesus will come to us at Christmas, just as we are.

And He will be happy to see us shining, even if we aren’t the brightest flame on the wreath. Because He loves us.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Question Corner: Jesus became man so I could become God?

The mental health crisis crosses all boundaries and ages

Hold the tuna casserole; pass the crab cake this Lent

Question Corner: Do we relax our Lenten fasts on Sunday?

Pope Francis: 10 titles for 10 years

| Recent Local News |

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

RADIO INTERVIEW: Dining with the Saints

Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day

Sister Mary Kathleen Marie Saffa dies at 86

Trainor to retire from post as Mount St. Mary’s president in 2024

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Legendary communist-era priest, Father Blachnicki, was murdered, Polish authorities confirm
  • Do not be afraid to be a witness to God’s love, pope says
  • Question Corner: Jesus became man so I could become God?
  • Papa: Acoger a migrantes y refugiados es el primer paso hacia la paz
  • Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81
  • Welcoming migrants, refugees is first step toward peace, pope says
  • RADIO INTERVIEW: Dining with the Saints
  • Good politics brings people together, generates care for others, pope says
  • Wyoming becomes first state to ban abortion pills

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED