Daily Meditation for December 15, 2025

We’re part way through Advent — how’s your preparation coming? Mine is a bit precarious!

At the beginning of Advent, we heard that it is “now the hour to awake from sleep” (Romans 13:11). I look forward to Advent each year because it’s a season of awakening and waiting. On the first Sunday, coming on the heels of Thanksgiving, I remember thinking, “Yes, I’m going to ponder each week’s Gospel as I light the candle. I’m going to remain awake.”

Now that we’re part way through, I can see that I am awake, but I’m not sure that I’m paying attention to what St. Paul asked us to attend to. As a teacher, my attention is preoccupied by students and final classes and grading alongside Christmas planning, holiday parties and sending cards to loved ones. I pause to try to figure out how I can respond to the call of John the Baptist to “prepare the way of the Lord” and “make straight his paths” (Matthew 3). Goodness, how can I prepare the way and do all these other things?

Feeling overwhelmed by that question, I circle back to St. Benedict who tells us that “always we begin again” (Chapter 71). Whew — what a relief! As I begin again, I see the path — I can prepare the way of the Lord when I remain awake to the people I am with, when I respond with love and understanding. Thanks be to God for this Advent gift!

By Liz Keenan, OblSB