Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
“During these happy moments have no other fear than that of becoming more attached to these gifts and graces than to the Giver and Benefactor. Do not value nor enjoy these graces and favours except in so far as they serve to inflame your soul with divine love, and are useful to help you in acquiring those solid virtues which please your heavenly Lover: self-abnegation, humility, mortification, patience, sweetness, obedience, charity, and gentle forbearance with your neighbour. Know that the devil is not the author of favours such as these, and that he can never deceive you if you only make use of these tastes and attractions for the acquisition of those solid virtues which faith and the Gospel teach and prescribe for us. Let God act; do not by your natural activity place obstacles in the way of His holy operations, and be faithful to Him in the smallest things for fear of exciting or provoking His divine jealousy.”
Jean-Pierre De Caussade (1675-1751) in Abandonment to Divine Providence (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 173-174.
Christmas draws near. As we move into the third week of Advent, we light the candle of joy. In consumeristic settings like America, we must be careful to keep the joy focused on Christ and not on things or circumstances.
Caussade reminds us that these “happy moments” can become settings in which we become more attracted to gifts than to the Giver. So that our joy in Jesus is not replaced by temporal, fleeting feelings, as we enter this time, let’s keep Christ central.
In Australia, much like America, Christmas means time with family. To apply the thought for today, let’s celebrate the gift of family for sure, and FaceTime with members we cannot visit, but let’s not make that the end. That’s merely a grace to “inflame” our souls with divine love.
Providence has been my word for 2017. I am not sure what word awaits me in 2018, but I know that in focusing on this facet of the Giver, I have learned that He is more faithful than I ever dreamed. When Caussade says to “Let God act” he teaches us the key to navigating “happy moments”.
Don’t try to make everything perfect this Christmas (remember: take the posture of Mary and not Martha). Receive good gifts from the Giver as graces to help you grow in your understanding of His divine love and extend it to others with “self-abnegation, humility, mortification, patience, sweetness, obedience, charity, and gentle forbearance”.
In this way Advent prepares us to grow in generosity.