4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The name Emmanuel means, “God is with us.” This is a title we use for Jesus frequently during the Advent and Christmas season, but its impact should stay with us throughout the year. The Incarnation, God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ, broke into our world in a profound manner that means that God is not only with us, God is us. The relationship offered to you and I by God is now more intimate and meaningful because of the birth of Jesus Christ.
God is truly with us and our goal is to be truly present to him at all times. To be prayerful is an important characteristic of an Everyday Steward. It means more than reciting prayers and setting aside ten minutes a day. Our goal is to experience the presence of God throughout the day in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of living. Offering all the actions and moments of the day to God as we awake, and then examining our day before we go to sleep at night, help lead us closer toward that goal.
When we begin to sense God’s presence at all times, and we realize that being with God does not mean one of us has to be talking all the time, then we can truly attest to our reality in a quiet voice at any time, “Emmanuel, God is with us.”
Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS