Friday of the First Week of Advent
December 7, 2007
"One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all that days of my life. That I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple."
- Psalm 27:4

Busyness is our business. Or should I say busyness is the business of a dark master. Games, meetings, schedules. Racing around in our cars for the next thing to be done. Calls, emails, computers, technology, media and information bombarding us. A sound bite generation. One second of this, a minute exposure to that followed by fifteen seconds of something different. We are busy and distracted. It is more difficult to grab someone's attention for sustained periods of time. I heard that, when speaking to youth, you have to change your presentation dramatically every 4-5 minutes or you will lose them. In our world of busyness, how foreign are words like "gaze" and "contemplate" to us?

Are you ready? I have another acronym for you! BUSY- Being Under Satan's Yoke. Whose plan is it that we are so busy and distracted? Who wants us to be so ungazing on the loveliness of the Lord and does not want us to think or care about the Lord's Church and Kingdom? The break-neck, sound bite busyness is the business of Satan is distracting and keeping us from the one thing we should seek as Christians- the Lord and building up His kingdom.

To yoke means to bind ourselves to another so as to work in tandem. Is our busyness in tandem with the Lord or in opposition to Him? Has the Lord called us to this busyness? Is it His will? Or have we joined forces with the devil and his work?

Might I suggest you (personally or as a couple/family) write down your busy schedule on paper? Then take that schedule to prayer and let God dictate your schedule. Gaze on His loveliness and in the quiet, in the scriptures, in adoration. Contemplate His church, kingdom and will. Let God decide how you will live your weeks.

God's will is that all would be forgiven, redeemed and saved. The devil wants us to be busy and distracted from that "all." In your busy world, who have you yoked yourself to? Who are you working in tandem with?

We are infinitely blessed!

+ Fr. John