I frequently question why Advent is such a season of conflict. Conflict, you may ask? Yes, conflict. Some churches celebrate this season. Some do not. You cannot get more conflict than that.

Advent Calendar

As a child, I frequently had an Advent calendar. Sometimes, there were calendars with simple Bible verses behind the door you opened each day. Other times, there was chocolate in the calendar. It didn’t matter to me. I liked opening a door each day.

Now, as an adult, I tend to mark the days by reading. I may read a book – Awaiting the Child by Isabel Anders – or I may read Bible readings. This is a one reading a day thing, just like opening one day on a calendar as a child.

Ascension Presents

I follow Father Mike Schmitz on YouTube. He does a number of different videos but one that I have watched many times deals with Advent. I’m going to post it here but I want to tell you my two big takeaways from it.

One, Advent is not a penitential season. The priest wears purple and rose, the same as Lent – the big penitential season in the Church.

Two, learn to say no. Say no so you can say yes to Jesus.