Every once in a while I wonder if due to the many traditions associated with Advent and Christmas we still remember what is at the heart of our celebrations. It is easy to get lost in the celebrations, and when that happens perhaps it is time for us to do some decluttering. I experience this sometimes with my books. I love to read, and I have the habit of placing the books that I wish to read on my coffee table. Before long I have a large pile of books which intimidates me. I pick one up for a few evenings, and then I notice another one and I read that one for a while. I keep jumping around from book to book never accomplishing much. When this happens I usually put all my books away and keep one on my coffee table, the one that I wish to read and finish. I find that this kind of decluttering helps me to enjoy my books and actually finish reading them. Decluttering our spiritual life may also be helpful from time to time. Here is a simple suggestion to get back to the basics of your relationship with God and actually accomplish something. You will need a chair and a candle. Designate one chair in your house to be a special place for silence. Try not to use it for anything else. Sit in that chair each day, and when you do, light a candle and be still and silent. Focus on the beauty of silence and the gift of God who is in the silence, a God who loves you in the silence. Do that twice a day for a few minutes each time during the season of Advent. You will be amazed how it will declutter your spiritual life just in time for Christmas.
Fr. Kuzma