What meaning does your life have? We are often unaware of how many lives we touch. It is one of the reasons I have always enjoyed the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. The main character, George Bailey, gets himself into a real financial crunch. He comes close to despair, and, near the beginning of the movie, we see him staring down from a bridge into an icy river. God intervenes in his moment of desperation by sending an angel named Clarence.
Clarence takes on human form and appears on the bridge, promptly jumping into the river. George reacts heroically, jumping into the river to save the angel. When they are warming up inside, Clarence startles George by talking about how he saved him: “Save me? I saved you.” Clarence had jumped into the river to snap George out of his selfish thinking. They proceed to visit the town, where everything is different, thanks to the fact that God has answered George’s prayer; he is now in a world in which he had never been born.
Purpose of Life
As we are progressing through Advent, this is a great moment to think about our purpose in life. Today, we are celebrating Gaudete Sunday, where the liturgy invites us to rejoice. How do we achieve this joy? The world tries to trick us into thinking that we can be happy merely by chasing pleasure. What I have found is that happiness is more of a by-product of virtuous actions than a goal which we can seek for its own sake.
Christmas Joy
As part of introducing us to this joy that gets us ready for Christmas, the liturgy teaches us about detachment through the example of John the Baptist. The crowds went out to the desert to encounter John, and he responded by inviting them to a simpler lifestyle, removed from the comforts and worries of the city. Eventually, we will see John martyred at the hands of Herod. Yet, who was happier: John or Herod? Without a doubt, we must realize that John was happier. He was happier because he did not place his joy in material things, but in living completely in God’s hands.
Reason to Rejoice
The prophet Zephaniah invites the people of Israel to rejoice. What is the cause of so much joy? God has come to dwell among his people. How do we say this? Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus is the fulfillment of the great prophecies and promises of the Old Testament. What we should desire above all else is to live the fulfillment of these promises, to have Jesus be with us. We might think most immediately about the coming of Jesus in Bethlehem, but the liturgical time of Advent has always had two points of focus: remembering his historical birth of Jesus in a manger and his Second Glorious Coming at the end of time.
God calls us to wake up to the wonderful news of the coming of his Son.
He who loves the coming of the Lord is not he who affirms that it is far off, nor is it he who says it is near, but rather he who, whether it be far off or near, awaits it with sincere faith, steadfast hope, and fervent love.
–Saint Augustine (354-430)
Finding Meaning
We desire to receive Jesus because he gives true meaning to our lives. George Bailey made a tremendous mistake when he thought his life was pointless. And yet, so many of us can feel like George at times. No matter what happens in your life, you have purpose and meaning. God looks at you with tremendous love. This is the message of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life and it has everything to do with the meaning of Advent.
Sometimes, we make a mess of our lives. Original sin made a mess out of all of our lives. And yet, rather than throwing everything out and starting over, God made his plan of salvation, which takes an important step forward in the Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
God did not desire our lives by mistake, obliging himself and us to experience harsh nights of anguish. He instead created us because he wants us to be happy. He is our Father, and if we here, now, experience a life that is not what he planned for us, Jesus guarantees that God himself is working out his redemption. He is working to redeem us (Pope Francis, 23 August 2017).
Self-Giving
When we are facing difficult times, we have to remember when our actions have impacted others. Often, it is good to look back at times that we have really made a difference. Look for missions or some service projects through which you can give of yourself. In the Gospel, John talks about giving away your second cloak. We could do so much if we started by giving away the excesses that we possess. The more we give, the more we receive, because God will never be outdone in generosity. Give of yourself: the life you save may be your own.
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