The Surprise of the Repetitious

If there's one thing Catholics are often accused of in their prayers, liturgy, and seasons, it is being "repetitive". Ask any antsy student whose ever sat through the Most Holy Rosary and they'd probably agree.

Advent seems to be one of those things. How many times have we heard the stories and experienced the build-up to Christmas? Yet, we still get giddy at the thought of exchanging gifts, listening to carols, and celebrating the Christmas mystery.

The Church, in Her wisdom, recognizes that there's something very important about remembering. There's a mysterious moment when we go beyond simply recounting the Christmas story to living it out in its fullness; Christ's birth becomes actually present to us in the prayers of the Church and Her liturgy.

Maybe this Christmas season can teach us something new: that just because we've heard something a thousand times doesn't mean it's any less present to us. Even though these stories may seem repetitious, they still surprise and delight us in their relevance and mystery.