Waiting is rarely easy—especially when we know something important is on its way but we don’t know exactly when it will arrive. My colleagues were talking recently about the challenge of preparing for a new refrigerator delivery, but the truth behind the humour is real: when something new is coming, we need to make room for it.
Advent is the season that teaches us this rhythm. The liturgical calendar walks us through God’s story—from anticipating God’s desire to be with us, to meeting Jesus in his birth, to witnessing the power of resurrection, to living as Spirit-filled people in the world. Advent brings us back to the beginning of that story each year, asking us to pay attention, prepare, and reflect.
John the Baptist steps into this season with a sharp, clarifying message: the Messiah is coming—be ready. Not ready with festive lights or perfect plans, but ready in heart. John urges his listeners to clear out whatever might block them from receiving God’s newness, much like cleaning out an old refrigerator before the new one arrives. Heritage, habit, or familiarity aren’t enough. Preparation is part of participation.
This is where Advent meets our everyday lives. Many of us enter December full of expectations, traditions, and to-do lists. But the deeper invitation of Advent is to pause and look inward. What attitudes, fears, or old stories might be taking up space? What needs to be released so that hope, generosity, and renewal can take root?
The good news is that God is already on the way—with healing, courage, and new life. Advent simply asks us to prepare room. As we move through this season, may we do both kinds of preparation: the joyful work of decorating and gathering, and the spiritual work of reflection, repentance, and prayer. In doing so, we join Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the generations before us in welcoming God’s love into the world again.