This week we started Advent, the exciting period of time the Catholic church uses to prepare for Christmas.  Many themes are used during the weekly scripture readings for the next four Sundays.  This past weekend the message of Mark's Gospel was to 'stay awake'. 

Mark wrote:

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. It is like a man travelling abroad: he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake. So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening, midnight, cockcrow, dawn; if he comes unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!’

The challenge for us today is to be alert and ready to response as Christians whenever we can.  In a world that is sometimes too cluttered and busy we sometimes miss moments to be Christians, or Christ-like.  We can use Advent, especially this year, to make the lives around us better through our positive behaviour, language and attitude.

Another way of looking at the 'stay awake' message is to think about getting excited for the greatest story to be retold.  Who would have thought that the birth of one man so many years ago would continue to inspire and challenge us.