Advent Week 2: Obedience and Humility

Would you like some virtues to introduce to your family during our journey towards the birth of Christ our King?  We will have a focus topic for each week of Advent!

As we prepare for Christmas, we also hear of Mary with her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. What can we learn from John?

John was obedient to his call to prepare the way for Christ. It required great humility to speak so boldly, gaining fame among his followers, yet remaining simple and insisting that there was still another "coming after me who is mightier than I." (Matthew 3:11) John himself must have wondered at times what he was doing wandering around in the wilderness! He even sent a message to Jesus, asking "are you really the One?" (Matthew 11:3)

But John was faithful to his task, and those who repented and listened to John found something even sweeter than honey - Jesus Christ, the One who came after John. Those who did not listen were disappointed, and did not prepare their hearts to receive the Savior of the World. In the end, John's obedience to God's call for his life cost him the price of his head, when he was martyred by Herod (Matthew 14:1-12).

So often in our lives, our faith calls for obedience. Our leaders in the consecrated life take very serious vows of obedience! As lay people, we may not take this vow, but we can practice the wisdom of this virtue. It is easy to become proud and think that we know better than God or those whom He has placed in authority over us. But submitting ourselves willingly to service, obedience, and the practice of humility can be very rewarding: we may learn a lot and serve God in wonderful ways that we never could if we had thought ourselves the "better authority." We are asked to respect our priests, pastors, and bishops... if not always agreeing, then with a listening ear of humility. We also must respect one another's views this way, if our Christian example is to be real for those around us.

"The New Evangelization calls for humility. The Gospel cannot thrive in pride. Humility is truth.

Humility is seeing ourselves the way God sees us. Humility is solidarity with the rest of wounded humanity.

The Church is holy because of Christ. The Church is a community of sinners because of us.

Simplicity of lives and humility of heart are indispensable tools for evangelization."

-Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Philippines-

Here is a wonderfully reflective article, which calls to mind our own limited understanding as individuals, and challenges us to open our hearts to Catholics (or non-Catholics) around us, regardless of differences. God has welcomed us each of us into His universal Church, and the Holy Spirit guides us all as the "branches" attached to One Vine. We do not have a monopoly on holiness.  We each must strive to faithfully answer "Yes Lord. Here I am. Send me. Your will be done." Additionally, when we disagree with others, we must strive for an approach of both humility and truth, rooted in the good will of charity.

This Advent, can we, like John the Baptist and many of the saints and martyrs, practice humility and obedience? How can we encourage obedience in our children? And as our children practice obedience to us, how can we learn from their example? How can we become children of God? Obedience can also help us to grow in holiness and become a "voice the desert" to those around us who need to hear God's word.

Click and print the picture below to work on with your children, and discuss what we can learn from the relationship between John and his cousin, our Savior, Jesus!