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1st Sunday of Advent, Cycle C
Terranuova Hermitage
December 2, 2012
3 Advent Habits
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P.
Amato
3 Habits
for Advent
Most of us have heard of the now famous book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Steven Covey wrote it back in 1989 and it has
been a national bestseller ever since. Recently,
I heard a corporate psychologist refer to it as a classic in helping businessmen
and women become more effective.
Covey’s insights can help us in any walk of life
and even in our relationships. He cites
7 habits as crucial in our being effective and the first three of deal with our
interior dispositions.
Highly effective people are, first of all, proactive. Second, they live with the end in mind.
And third, they put first things first. These
three habits express well what today’s Advent readings are saying.
1st Be Proactive
Highly effective people are proactive, that is, they
take the initiative.
For example, in the business world, the merger
of one bank with another is a proactive way to grow and to offer services more
efficiently.
In today’s second reading, Saint Paul expresses
his pleasure with the way the people in Thessalonica are living the faith, but
he wants them to do even more, to live even better, to be proactive – that is
be the first to move – as persons of faith.
So for us, this may mean that we pray not just
when we need something or feel overwhelmed by a situation. Rather, being proactive means that we pray
every day so we have a thriving vibrant relationship and a real deep communion
with the Lord.
2nd
Live with the End in Mind
Second, Steven Covey says that highly effective
people live each day with the end in mind. That is to say that they are
goal-oriented.
An example in the business world might be McDonald’s
who has the goal of a high market share and so they are always testing food
preferences and trying new things like salads and specialty coffees.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is trying to get us to live
with the end or goal in mind. He speaks
of omens in the universe and disasters that will threaten us.
Jesus is speaking in what is called an apocalyptic
style so these words are not to be taken literally, but rather as more of a
scare tactic to get us to live right now with the end in mind.
Would that would mean for us is that we not get
swallowed up in the rush of day-to-day living or in the consumer culture of
needing the latest gadget to be happy.
Instead, living with the end in mind means that we
stay aware that someday there will be an accounting of our life to God and that
our eternal status will to a great extent depend on how we live right now.
3rd
Put First Things First
Finally, Covey says that highly effective people are
able to put first things first. In other words, they live with a sense of
priorities.
A business world example that comes to mind is a car
dealership that knows that quality service and repair is crucial, so they make
this a priority in their entire operation.
The focus in the Scripture today is to live, whatever
or vocation or state-of-life is, the way God would want me to live it. Make this our priority above any other
motives or objectives.
Concretely, if I am a parent, you give priority to my
spouse and children. Putting first
things first may mean making sure my family has dinner together as many
evenings as possible, knowing it is in that time together that the most
valuable communication can happen.
Conclusion
I end as I began. The first three of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People touch
the heart of what Advent invites us to do.
And all three habits are connected. If I am proactive, but don’t have the end in
mind, I will probably be going in many directions.
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 the glitter of the world’s values.
Yes, we need all three habits to be highly effective
as disciples of Jesus. We need all three
to grow spiritually and be close to the Lord.
