Gaudete Antiphons

This article from CERC in explaining how our culture has lost the meaning of Christmas makes the following point, to which I want to draw your attention for one line in particular:

The world — left to its own devices — has no room and no use for the birth of Jesus Christ. It has contempt for Christians who seriously strive to be His disciples. So we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by being the saints God intended us to be. We can at least seek to be holy by tithing our time to sit quietly with God; allow Him to fill our actions and our choices with His Son; and let Him shape us into the men and women He needs. We can get up and experience the dawn in silence as a reminder of what Advent and Christmas mean. We can prepare ourselves to be alert for the voice of God and to receive God's word afresh and proclaim it anew.

Isn't that a fascinating way to think of tithing? Not as fiduciary stewardship, but the willingness of a child to listen and attend. Read the whole article, in which two worlds are described allegorically. One world celebrates Exmas while the other celebrates Christmas.

We have much to bring to our world, so much gift to offer and invitation to make. Yet, as the Antiphon implies, here we sit in the mud. Let us present to the Nations the Gift of a King who will come to them in Glory, Rex Gentium!