"The more God wishes to bestow on us, the more does He make us desire him." Those words of St John of the Cross might suggest something about how to live this Advent season. What greater gift could God wish to bestow on us than He has already done by giving us Himself, in sending us His only Son as our brother, our friend, our lover? And what is our real desire as we look forward to celebrating our receiving of that gift, Emmanuel, this Christmas?

The wrongfulness of "this generation" that Jesus spoke about was that they had no real meaningful desire. They only knew how to complain and criticize. They had no vision of what might be, no openness to receive what was beyond their limited focus and experience. But the Lord had already promised that the people's prosperity would be "like a river," their vindication "like the waves of the sea," if only they would accept His teaching and His guidance. For His will for our good, and His guidance reawakens the desires that draw us towards Himself.

We so easily think we know best what's for our good and our peace. We want the Lord to sing and dance to our songs and dances. But we're slow to listen to His songs and dance in rhythm with His footsteps, failing to see and appreciate what He's actually giving us.