The Advent season is one of the spiritually richest times of the year. It contains unique spiritual mysteries and opportunities that truly prepare our heart, mind, and soul for the coming of Jesus, not just in the historical way, but for His return at the end of time. It is in this regard that we need to expand our thinking: Advent is rich in prayer and meditation on the events surrounding the coming of Jesus, but it is also a time in which we are encouraged to assess that which we possess and the call to generosity in order to ensure that our priorities are in the right place. In other words, we think of things like gift-giving, sharing, and reaching out to the poor with more focus during this season. It is a good thing, indeed, but true entering into the season of Advent means that our hearts are not merely moved, but that they are changed. It is a time to discern what is within our means, but also to reflect upon our attitudes toward giving. What I mean is that sometimes even in our giving we are not truly generous. An example might help. Many years ago I was experiencing a time of financial challenge. At one point, a relative kindly sent me a little bit of cash and I bought a much needed item of clothing with it. When I thanked her, she was aghast at what I had bought as if somehow I had squandered it. I was very hurt by her reaction, but it also taught me a (painful) lesson: once we give to someone, we are not to judge what they do with it. True generosity of heart is about giving freely and knowing that once it leaves our hands, it is truly no longer ours, we no longer possess it. But if we judge what the recipient does with it, we are still trying to possess what is really no longer ours. Thus, Advent calls our attention to what it means to give humbly and with a truly generous disposition.

During Advent it is good to pray with the birth narratives contained in Matthew and Luke, (as well as with all the Scriptures of Advent.) We will see that each of the holy ones had a heart open to God, a generous disposition, allowing God to change what they had expected to be the course of their life. They gave in a way that may not have been noticed at the time, but was indeed a huge response of love to God. A common thread among them is that each of the ‘Advent figures’ spent time silently pondering what God was asking of them and how they were to respond in order to give from their hearts. Thus, each one gave in the way they were called, which means they gave of their time as well as from the storehouse of their personal spiritual gifts, most especially of their love. They shared unreservedly from their resources and did so freely.

This time of year Santa Claus is often a highlight, whether for children or for adults who simply enjoy the festivity. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as we keep our focus centered upon Christ; all of the music, decoration, and the ‘joyful uplift’ are a part of life and should not be discounted. We also turn our attention to giving Christmas gifts to friends and family, and some will even think about providing a meal for those less well-off. Of course, giving is part of Christian love, but the origins of Santa that are tied to Christmas gift-giving are also Christian: there really was a St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas of Myra, (also called St. Nicholas of Bari), a true imitator of Christ according to the way in which he was called. He was a 4th century bishop, and it seems that it was from him that the tradition of gift-giving arose due to his characteristic generosity. The most prominent of the stories stems from help he offered three daughters of a poor man in Myra. Apparently, the man was unable to provide the dowries needed for his daughters to marry and consequently they were considering prostitution. To help them, on three consecutive nights Nicholas stealthily threw a bag of gold coins through their window, saving the daughters from that fate and enabling them to marry respectfully. 

The story of St. Nicholas, though enlarged over the years, builds upon the truth of Jesus’ teaching about giving generously. Therefore, if we look to him as one who lived the gospel, and if we meditate upon the mysteries of Advent, the two do work together to emphasize the same message of humble giving: we give freely and without fanfare, as we are each called. When we are generous like the holy ones, we teach the gospel through every deed, and perhaps even our words. To be generous is to live Advent. The reality is that when we give, we love; it is a disposition of the heart, not limited to one specific season or kind of action. Thus, it can mean a gift of time, talent, or treasure, (or perhaps a combination of these).* But whatever it is, think of Mary’s yes, Joseph’s understanding, Elizabeth’s faith, Zechariah’s compliance, John the Baptist’s courage, and St. Nicholas’ giving without expectation or judgment. It would be most fitting this Advent if, like each of those holy ones, we would prepare a generous heart as an offering to Jesus at His birth. Happy Advent!

May we grow in a disposition of generosity of heart! May we look to the holy ones of Advent as inspiration for humble giving that is free and without expectation! May we offer our love in whatever way we are called! And may we trust in the Lord that even a small gift given with great love is a treasure! Let us meet in the heart of Jesus! Peace! Come, O Lord!

                             ©Michele L. Catanese


*And remember, it is not about the quantity, but the quality of our giving; giving small things with great love is a tremendous gift.

Images:
1. Painting, Give Drink to the Stranger, Water to the Thirsty, by Olivuccio di Ciccarello. (1365-1439)
2. Icon, Mother of God Waiting in Adoration by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested in purchasing a copy,  an Advent card, for example), you can find it at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mother-of-god-waiting-in-adoration-248-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. My photo of an ancient painting, St. Nicholas giving to the daughters of the poor man. I took this photo in a church in Locorotondo, Puglia, Italy.
4. My photo, a bowl I purchased in Israel with the pattern of loaves and fishes from the Shrine of the Multiplication of Loaves in Tabgha, Israel. Jesus' act of multiplying loaves and fishes was a magnificent example of the generosity of God.
5. Clip Art, Advent Candles for Week 1.

​Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. 

Traveling is always a great way to learn things. Of course, the food, wine, sights, and friendly people are not to be forgotten, but traveling provides opportunities to learn about history, various cultures, architecture, artwork, and (especially for someone like me) there is always the discovery of a new saint. My most recent trip to Italy did not disappoint in in any of those ways. Celebrating All Saints Day this month continued the emphasis on the vastness of the communion of saints, those canonized and those who will never be recognized publicly, but are remembered by those who knew them. The feast day was also a reminder that not only have there been many ‘varieties’ of the sanctified, but that we, too, can grow in holiness in ways expected and unexpected. I say expected because we should all desire, if not expect, to become saints insofar as we all have the capability and potential; we all have that call. I say unexpected because the Lord will do it in His way, offering graces and opportunities to accept those graces, as only He in His wisdom can do. Either way, it means we need to actively seek to grow in holiness and to actively work at it. God gives the seeds, but we have to plough the field.

The saint who I met on the occasion of my recent travels is Sant’Oronzo, or Saint Orontius if you prefer. He is the patron saint of Lecce, Italy, a bishop and martyr of the 1st century AD. According to the legend, Oranzo was born in Rudiae (ancient name of Lecce)* in 22 AD and was converted to Christianity by a disciple of St. Paul, Titius Justus, who was shipwrecked off the coast while on his way to deliver a copy of the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. At his baptism, Justus changed the saint’s name to Oronzo and he began a ministry of evangelization, but because of his preaching he was beaten and denounced by the pagans in the area. He eventually made his way to Corinth where he was ordained as first bishop of Lecce by St Paul. Returning to Lecce, Oronzo once again began intensive evangelization, resulting in exile, but undaunted, he continued to preach and evangelize in the coastal towns to which he had escaped. Finally, in 68 AD he and one of his disciples were arrested, tried for high treason, and beheaded. Interestingly, it was not until a long time after his death that Oronzo became the patron of Lecce; the first patron was actually St. Irene, but in 1656, the people of Lecce believed their prayers to Oronzo saved them from the plague and as a result they elevated him to patron of the city. Unfortunately, we know little about the ‘demoted’ (but no less a saint) patron, Irene, except that she was martyred in the third century.

​In my reflection upon Saints Oronzo and Irene, I realized that while the details of their lives are now relegated to legend, they did spread the faith during their lifetime, and they continue to be impactful upon those who have remained devoted to their memory. In truth, the details are irrelevant, but what is important is that they brought the faith to many and offered hope to those who were searching simply by giving their lives completely to Jesus. Therefore, just as I am certain that the last thing on their minds was a lasting legacy, we do not have to concern ourselves with that either. Rather, our work will speak for itself through the lives of those we touch. Truly, we,too, have the ability to have an impact which is no less than that of the canonized saints. It takes dedication and love, cultivated through our prayer. We have to work with the seeds of grace the Lord plants within us; God provides the seeds, but we have to plough the field. However, the more we seek, the more grace we receive, and subsequently our love for God will grow and we will become empowered for the work. The ploughing becomes easier because of Him for whom we labor.

A final thought: throughout our trip I noticed that visibly prominent churches were the center of just about every town and city, but sadly, many of them had become museums, relics, things of the past. This serves as a reminder that our churches should be more than inanimate buildings and landmarks for geographical purposes, but rather, they should be living landmarks filled with faith-filled members assisting other pilgrims on the path to Heaven. The buildings are where the Church assembles and worships, which is indeed essential because that is what makes the church alive: the church alive is the people, empowered by grace, who spread the Good News through word and deed, kindness, generosity, mercy and love. If we participate, not only does the Church stay alive, but it thrives as we grow in holiness both individually and collectively.** Yes, we must be the ones to plough the field, but when the Father provides the seeds, we must also trust that Jesus waters them. In short, we serve and glorify God when we work towards becoming the holy ones He intends us to be, but we do not do it alone or by our own power. Rather, we contribute to building up the Kingdom through the love of Christ made manifest within us. That, brothers and sisters, is holiness.

May we cooperate with the seeds of grace which God plants within us! May we have the fortitude to stay the course as we work to grow in holiness! May we look to the example of the canonized Saints as well as the ‘hidden’ holy ones whom we have experienced! And may our faith be enlivened, our hearts be ignited, and our actions be emboldened through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                                                               ©Michele L. Catanese
Notes: 
* Lecce is located in far south Puglia, in what some refer to as the heel of the boot shape of Italy.
More on Sant’Oranzo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orontius_of_Lecce
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-history-of-orontius-martyr-saint-and-patron-of-lecce/aQIii4zUcYj0Lg
A link to a small bit of information about St. Irene: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_of_Lecce
​
** This includes praying for vocations or considering a vocation to the priesthood, too. We need priests to offer the sacraments and to minister in our churches! 

Finally: Throughout the body of this entry I chose to use ‘plough,’ the old English version of the word 'plow.' ~ It is very biblical to consider ploughing (or plowing, if you prefer) because it is an act ripe with symbolism. There are many references in the Old Testament. The one that leapt to mind first is when Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha as he plowed his fields. (1Kings 19:19-21) Elisha stopped plowing, then slaughtered the cows and burned the plow, a symbol that he was offering himself to service of the Lord and that he would plow in a new field, or rather, in a new way. In the gospels, Jesus strongly indicated that we should put our hand to the plow and not look back; that is, we must trust that He will give us what we need, but that we need to put in the work once He gives the gifts. (Luke 9:62)

​Images:
1. My photo, countryside near Randazzo, Sicily. This is on the north side of Mt. Etna. 
2. Icon, St. Paul the Apostle by Fr. William Hart McNichols. There are few paintings of Sant'Oronzo. Like all those who lived so long ago, what they looked like is anyone's guess. But since St. Paul factored in Oronzo's story, it seemed fitting to use this icon. You can find this icon at fineartamerica.com/featured/st-paul-the-apostle-196-william-hart-mcnichols.html
3. Painting, Enclosed Field with Ploughman by Vincent van Gogh (1889). 
4. My photo, a closed church in Lecce, Puglia, Italy.
5. My photo, the view from Ravello, a town on the Amalfi coast in Campania, Italy.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.