My Reasons to Dance and Shout this Advent

Interview with Lisa Archuleta

Part Four from our “In Need of A Savior Day by Day” Series

Photo by Chelsey Shortman

Oh hey y’all! My name is Lisa Archuleta and I am a senior at the University of Dallas studying Biology and Theology. I am from the beautiful region of Northern California. I love to tell (funny-ish) jokes, contemplate life questions, and spend time outside. I find that, other than my time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, my time with my friends and family is where I see Christ most vividly. In fact, I was reading through the book of Numbers the other day and realized I didn’t have yours!

Lisa’s Interview

Tell us about your past experiences with Advent. Is it a busy season, a time of intimacy with Jesus, or something else?

My past experiences with Advent are pretty uneventful. I can remember attempting to keep up with an Advent journal or maintain an Advent wreath in my home. Advent is usually a busy time of year as I am normally working on end of the semester projects and preparing for final exams. It can be incredibly easy to go through the motions of prayer and Mass during a busy time of year. I often find myself going on social media or watching videos instead of prayer so that I can “relax,” however this relaxation always leaves me even more restless and longing for true leisure. Just last year, I began being more intentional with my time and actions during Advent. A friend offered some beautiful insight to me saying that “while Lent is a time to prepare for the death of Christ, similarly Advent is a time to prepare for the birth of Christ.” Since then, I have tried to be more intentional with my time. I find that doing small things and offering them up during Advent is an easy way for me to remind myself of Christ. Some days that looks like not eating dessert or spending intentional time in silence while other days it looks like journaling and fasting.

Have you or will you pray with an image, song, or other piece of art during Advent? Tell us about it!

Something that has helped me in prayer lately that I am going to take into the Advent season is Psalm 27: 7-8. The whole Psalm is a beautiful song of thanksgiving and lament that so tenderly speaks of man’s innermost desires of the heart -- to seek God’s face. I often find myself distracted by worldly things; reading this scripture passage reminds me to focus on God’s face because it is Him who will truly satisfy me fully. It only makes sense to give Him everything that I have and take as much time as I can to prepare for the Word made flesh to come. 

Consider Mary and Joseph’s communal anticipation of their Son. How does their very real anticipation inspire yours?

This is a beautiful question. Mary and Joseph must have been a perfect complement to each other in their actions of anticipation for Jesus. While I would like to say that I too would be gentle and peaceful in this time of waiting, in reality I would want to dance and shout with excitement. Mary and Joseph’s  gentleness and peacefulness inspires me to boldly live out my call to holiness. I am someone who gets excited easily, so whenever I think of putting myself in the shoes of pregnant Mary, I can only imagine how much I would’ve jumped for joy that my son was going to be born soon. Although I envision I would not have been able to jump much, being pregnant and all. Their example instills a fire of courageously and patiently living out the Lord’s plan for me.

As we anticipate our Savior, it can be difficult to be present or attentive to what God is calling us to in our everyday lives. How do you make space to be present in Advent and Ordinary Time? 

Intentionality. I know I have mentioned it before already, but I am going to say it again. INTENTIONALITY! Our Father is a good and patient Father, and while He will always be there waiting for us, it does not mean that we should only come when we feel like it. Prayer is not about “feeling good” or doing it because you need something; rather, prayer is an invitation to grow in a relationship with the King of Kings! I mean how literally crazy is it that we even have the opportunity to be in a relationship with God the Father. Not only can we be in relationship with him, He desires to be in relationship with us. There is nothing the Father wants more than his beloved (that’s us, WE are His beloved!). Choosing to go to prayer even when you don’t “feel” anything is an act of selfless love. Some days I go into the chapel and it seconds feel like agonizing hours, while other days 30 minutes feels like a minute. Especially during Advent, when time seems to be less, it is even more important to make intentional time with the Lord. A practical way that I do this is by scheduling in prayer time during my day; making this like any other appointment or errand to run can be a practical way of making sure that you have time allotted specifically for prayer. Another way to work prayer into everyday life is in the morning instead of snoozing the alarm, try offering that discipline and sacrifice up to the Lord. Something as simple as saying “I don’t want to get up right now, but I am going to offer this small sacrifice up for you Lord” can get a jump start on the day and a mindset focused on serving Christ. Most of the time God does not speak in big and extravagant gestures (though He definitely can and has *cough* the Incarnation), rather he often speaks through small mundane moments of every life, we just have to be open to listen. What is God the Father speaking to you this Advent?

This interview was compiled and edited by Ashley A. Hinojosa

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