When Christians begin the season of Advent, do they pretend that the Nativity has not already happened, so that they can celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas with fresh innocence? Authentic Christian faith is never an escape from life, and make-believe is a dangerous form of escape.

The seasons of the liturgical year are not times for pretending but exercises in remembrance that focus on different events in salvation history, inspired by the belief that God continues to act in our world according to patterns revealed in biblical history.

God’s word was not only spoken in the past but continues to be spoken today, and: “today you must hear the word of the Lord”.

To hear the word of the Lord we must pay attention. And that is one way of describing what the season of Advent is all about: paying attention.

The great figures of the Advent liturgy (Isaiah the prophet, John the Baptist and Mary the mother of Jesus) are all models of paying attention, concentrating on what is important. We have to learn how to clear the clutter from our lives and focus more freely on what really deserves our attention.

During this Advent season, we do not simply bring past history to mind, but in that act of remembrance we recognize our own longings and hopes.

Advent can be a time for clearing space. It is the time to remember that only by seeking the Lord with all our heart will our hearts ever become whole.