1st Sunday of Advent
Cycle C
November 28, 2021 8:30 and 11am
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
3 Habits for Advent
I imagine that many of us have heard of the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Steven Covey wrote this, and it has sold over twenty-five million copies. On one level, this is a book to help those in business to become effective and successful.
But on another level, Steven Covey also says that this is a character-ethic book. It is intended to help any person to develop character – to live out of one’s inner values or principles.
Covey cites seven habits as crucial. The first three of these deal with our inner dispositions.
Covey says that highly effective people are, first of all, proactive. Second, they live with the end in mind.
And third, they put first things first. It strikes me that these three habits express well what today’s Advent readings are saying.
1. Be Proactive
First, highly effective people are proactive.
They take the initiative. For example, in the business world, a dry cleaner might open a second location as a way of being proactive and growing their business.
In today’s New Testament reading, Saint Paul expresses his pleasure with the way the people are living their faith. But, he wants them to do even more, to be proactive.
For us, this may mean that we pray not just when we really need something. Instead, being proactive means that we pray every day so that we have a real inner communion with Christ that will help us on both the good days and the challenging days.
2. Live with the End in Mind
Then second, Steven Covey says that highly effective people live with the end in mind.
They are goal-oriented. For example, I imagine that McDonald’s has a goal of a high market share, and so they are always trying new things like salads and specialty coffees.
In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks of omens in the universe and disasters that will threaten us. These words are not to be taken literally, but rather as more of a scare tactic to get us to live with the end in mind.
For us, this may mean that we not get swallowed up in the consumer culture of just having to get the latest iPhone or whatever it is. Instead, living with the end in mind means that we stay aware that someday we will meet God and what will be important will be how well we have lived and who we have become as persons.
3. Put First Things First
And third, Covey says that highly effective people put first things first.
They live with a sense of priorities. For example, some car dealerships know that quality service and repair is crucial if they are going to get repeat customers, and so they make this a priority in their operation.
In today’s gospel Jesus is also calling us to live whatever my state-of-life is in the way God wants me to live it. We are to make this our priority above anything else.
This may mean that, if you are a parent, you give priority to your family. Putting first things first may mean that you aim to have dinner together as many evenings as possible, because it is right there, in those minutes eating together, that valuable communication often happens.
Conclusion
So, I am saying that these three habits really express what Advent invites us to do.
And, this is important, all three of these habits are connected. If I am proactive but don’t have the end in mind, I will probably be going in many directions at once.
If I have the end in mind but am not proactive, I will be going nowhere. And if I have both of those habits but don’t put first things first, I will easily get caught up in unimportant things.
We need all three habits to prepare for the coming of the Lord. That is the message that I see on this First Sunday of Advent.
