WE don’t often think of Church as contemplative. We think of it more as an active and engaging Church that deals with setting goals and planning ways to transform the world with the spirit of the Gospel. Yet, being a contemplative Church is a vital element of a true Church. In fact, it is a prerequisite to our actions or deeds. Without contemplation, our actions and relationships would be shallow, and our hearts would not be filled with gratitude.
Advent is a period of contemplation before Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. It is a period of profound and silent longing for the coming of our Lord Jesus, which includes his Second Coming: a longing for universal peace, justice, unity and love.
Advent, then, is countercultural to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. It asks us to slow down, to pace our steps and to take a long deep breath. It requires us to discern our values and to examine our priorities. It challenges us to see the essential things of life that are invisible to the eye.
When the Gospel this Advent season tells us to be vigilant, this is what it precisely means: to have a contemplative heart to see the God’s blessings of hope amidst the problems of this world and in the ordinariness of life.
Of course, our quiet longings speak of our desire for a better world. But we cannot effectively engage in transforming the world if we have not answered the hard questions of life in the silence of prayer where the true will of God meets us.
As we take on this journey of Advent, perhaps we should think more seriously about spending more quiet time for silent prayer, of quietly appreciating the special people in our lives and all of God’s blessings. Perhaps, we should be more attentive to one another and to the care of our souls.
We pray that those involved in terrorism will take a hard look at their horrible acts of violence. We pray that they find it in their contemplative hearts to cease all plans to create more violence in this world. And we pray that our world leaders would listen to the God of peace!
May we take this journey of Advent with a contemplative heart!
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
