Hello friends,
This is Mark Ludman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighborhood monk-in-docs.
Welcome to Towards the Light,
An Advent Journey.
As we enter Day 10,
Today we're going to reflect a little bit about clearing out the clutter.
Life has a way of filling up,
Doesn't it?
Our homes gather things we don't need,
Our diaries gather more and more appointments that we wonder are completely necessary,
Our minds collect worries that we can't resolve,
Our hearts hold on to distractions that weigh us down,
And in the midst of all this clutter,
It's very,
Very easy to lose sight of what matters most.
Advent,
However,
Invites us to something different,
A clearing of space,
Not just for the sake of simplicity,
But as a sacred act of making room for God.
In Luke's Gospel,
We read the very famous story of Mary and Martha.
Jesus has come to the house of Mary and Martha and has begun teaching people.
Martha,
In thinking that she has to make sure that everything is domestically in order,
Becomes overwhelmed by her to-do list while Mary,
Her sister,
Chooses to sit at Jesus' feet,
Listening and being present.
Martha approaches Jesus and asks him to correct the situation.
But Jesus says to Martha those famous words.
He says,
Martha,
Martha,
You are worried and upset about many things,
But few things are needed,
Or indeed,
Only one.
Mary has chosen what is better,
And it will not be taken away from her.
Now,
Notice,
First of all,
And we often miss this,
That Jesus' tone with Martha isn't harsh.
Martha's not done anything wrong.
After all,
The people will need to eat at some point.
But Jesus gently reminds Martha that only one thing is necessary.
It's not a rejection of Martha's work,
But it's a call to focus.
What if,
Like Mary,
We all chose to set aside our distractions and simply make space?
That,
My friend,
Is one of the intentions of this season of Advent that we're in.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us to,
And I quote,
Throw off everything that hinders,
So we can run with perseverance the race marked out before us,
Fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Clearing the clutter isn't about perfection.
It's about freedom,
Freedom to see,
Freedom to hear,
And freedom to notice God in our midst.
The wonderful Rachel Held Evans once wrote,
God shows up in the places we least expect.
Often when we've cleared just enough space to notice,
End quote.
So I wonder,
What might you notice if you let go of a distraction today?
It could be a deeper awareness of God's love.
It could be a rekindled sense of joy,
Or maybe simply the peace of an uncluttered heart.
Today I invite you to take some time to think about your life right now.
Is there a place or space,
Be it physical,
Emotional,
Or spiritual,
That feels crowded or chaotic?
What might it look like to clear that space and dedicate it to God?
So as you reflect on this invitation today,
May you release what no longer serves your journey.
May you find joy in the simplicity of being present with God.
May your cleared spaces become sacred places where you meet God anew.
May you discover peace in that freedom of less.
Today,
If you have some time,
Make some time to declutter,
Whether it's a cupboard in the corner of your home,
A lingering worry in the corner of your heart,
Or a thought you've carried far too long in the corner of your mind.
And offer that space to God,
Trusting that what you clear away makes room for something holy.
And may that beautiful grace of God overwhelm you and be with you right through your day.
Peace be with you,
My friend.
We'll see you tomorrow.
