Psalm Reflection: First Sunday of Advent (Cycle C)

“To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.” - Psalm 25

We give ourselves to a lot of things in life. We offer ourselves to things so intensely that we let them shape our identity, things like: political parties, colleges, clubs, organizations, fraternities & sororities, relationships, careers, gender & sexual identities and even religious institutions. These things aren’t necessarily good or bad in themselves, but when they become the place we look to for our sense of identity or fulfillment, they can become idols, and the thing with idols is that they can never live up to the real thing. Is God first in your life? Is your identity first and foremost rooted in Him, who CAN fulfill every desire and need in your heart? Is your identity first and foremost that of a child of God, before everything else? Because when it is not, we look for a Messiah in the wrong places and we are always disappointed:

When our identity is rooted in our political party, we look for a perfect candidate, and we are always disappointed.

When our identity is rooted in our college experience, we have no idea what to do when we don’t get into the right school or when those 4+ years are over.

When our identity is rooted in our clubs, organizations, or our fraternities & sororities, we can look for fulfillment in community and friendship with people who are imperfect and will eventually let us down.

When our identity is rooted in our gender or sexual identity, we look for validation and worth in only that aspect of our life, instead of realizing we are more than the way we dress, how our body looks, or how we use our body parts. We can either let our life become only about that one part of us, or we can feel depressed and alone when the rest of who we are remains unknown to those around us.

When our identity is rooted in our career, we don’t know what to do when we can’t find a job, when we don’t get that promotion, if we get fired, or when we retire. We become more about money and status that passion.

When our identity is rooted in a relationship, we place too much pressure on the other person to be our ultimate fulfillment, that any small mistake, insecurity or failure can be devastating because we are expecting perfection even though no one is perfect.

When our identity is rooted in a religious institution instead of a relationship with God, we can become experts and regurgitating doctrine and going through the motions, but can be in crisis when we do ‘t know an answer, when the institution changes, or when the imperfect people who run it let us down. 

Again these things are important parts of who we are, but they will not fulfill us in and of themselves. They can point us to the good that exists in us, in others, and in the world, which can lead us to our ultimate fulfillment: being a child of God and being in relationship with Him. This week, do a “fulfillment check.” Write out all the things that you do, are involved in, or desire for yourself. Are you satisfied and fulfilled in every area? If not, ask yourself how you might be putting too much of your identity in that thing, or person, and pray about how you might begin to turn to God for that fulfillment, or if you might even need to delete some things or people from your life altogether. Spend time with God every day this week, and invite Him to be at the center of everything you do. We are praying for you this week.

See you in the Eucharist!