“This is the person Christ has loved in loving you, the person he has chosen in choosing you. He enters by the open door; he has promised to come in, and he cannot deceive. Embrace him, the one you have sought; turn to him, and be enlightened; hold him fast, ask him not to go in haste, beg him not to leave you. The Word of God moves swiftly; he is not won by the lukewarm, nor held fast by the negligent. Let your soul be attentive to his word; follow carefully the path God tells you to take, for he is swift in his passing…How do we hold him fast? Not by restraining chains or knotted ropes but by bonds of love, by spiritual reins, by the longing of the soul…Whoever seeks Christ in this way, whoever prays to Christ in this way, is not abandoned by him; on the contrary, Christ comes again and again to visit such a person, for he is with us until the end of the world” (St. Ambrose)

As we continue our Advent journey, we want to prepare our hearts not only to receive Christ in a new way but also to relish his coming with gratitude. The more attentive we are to him, the more his stay will last. In seeking him with longing, we will find him when he comes. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir up a greater desire in your heart for the Lord, so that when he comes, you may rest in him.