I remember some years back, my nephew McKenzie (just a few years old) and I were playing ‘Hide & Seek.’ He’s go hide next to the couch or under the table where I easily saw him. He’d have his eyes closed, thinking because he couldn’t see me, he thought that I couldn’t see him. I’d walk around the house, saying, “Where are you?” He’d giggle and I’d say again, “Where are you?” And most often he couldn’t take it any longer, so he’d burst out with “Here I am!” And we’d laugh. Then he’d declare, “Again” and usually go back to the same spot he was just in.
This is simple game, but many of us play this game not just with toddlers but also with our spiritual lives. You see, most of us want a closeness to God, we desire to have that peace and tranquility of God with us, or Jesus as our friend. But we play games of hiding from God . . .
- We hide behind mountains of complaining of being too busy. There’s so much to be done.
- We hide behind the clock “I don’t have any time to do some serious praying!”
- We hide behind the need to feel productive, somehow doing a lot makes us feel more important or it will impress God.
- We hide behind a fear of needing to have it all figured out, that is to have all the details worked out.
- We hide behind the need to be in control . . . of that person, that project, that event.
- We hide behind the illusion that we are enough, that we have all the tools needed to get everything done. So we thing that if we just work harder, longer or more intent then life will be better.
We play games of hiding from God, but all the time we secretly long to be found. Every once in a while we’ll jump out and declare, “Here I am.” It’s those moments when we can get past our egos, past the complaining, past the ‘poor me’ attitude . . . and we get a glimpse of how much God longs for us. For example:
- When that song vibrates something within us.
- When that Christmas special or that Hallmark show gets us “chocked up” about what’s important in life.
- When we encounter a special verse of scripture nails exactly what we long for.
- When we sense the power of the sacraments, like when something happens at Mass, or the grace of feeling forgiven through the sacrament of reconciliation.
And it’s like feeling “We’re found! Yes, this is it. This is how my life should be!” But then we go back to hiding . . . again.
In the gospel Jesus refers to this as sleeping. He says, “Stay awake! Be prepared!” In the second reading Paul also wants us to “Wake from our sleep.” But he also goes on to declare some of the things we could (and should) stop doing, because we know that they’re bad for us . . . sexually, with alcohol, your thoughts, with competing or jealousies. And I’d add, how you use your phone. The things you know you know which are a waste your time, or are simple bad for you. It’s as if Paul is saying, stop playing these games with God. That is, hiding from God.
But here’s the best part. God is searching for you. God has never stopped looking and even calling out “Where are you?” And just like I knew where my nephew was hiding, so does God. Advent is a great time to make some changes. Instead of hiding behind all your excuses of being too busy to get closer to God, change some things.
Take the time . . . in little ways
Stop doing the bad things . . . focus on one thing at a time.
Start doing more of the good things . . . open yourself be loved and forgiven. Understood by God.
During Advent we use the phrase ‘Emmanuel’ to name Jesus. It means “God with us.” You have been found. You have not ever really been lost, even if you think you were. Stop playing games!