The pandemic had already begun a few months before. Uncertainty was present in the environment. It was not prudent to see each other as we were used to. Outside of our homes, communication took a digital turn in audio and video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On one occasion, I had a video call appointment at around nine in the morning. I got up early, and I wanted to prepare myself as best as possible, since we had made the appointment a month in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I prepared what was required of me, and then I began to arrange the space. My computer was not working well, so I set out to arrange a suitable space for the video call from my phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I set up a small table, a stand so I wouldn’t have my phone just in my hands, I put my notes on the other side, and I closed my eyes. I tried to mentally review my part once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What felt like about three minutes passed, I looked at the clock and it was past nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-What? Is it 9:25? How can this be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time slipped by without me even realizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever had a moment slip by without fully realizing it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For me, that time lapse was obviously more than three minutes. I had fallen asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I checked my phone, and I had received two video calls and a text message from the person I was meeting with, and I didn’t hear the notifications. I called him immediately, and he didn’t answer. I assumed he was busy with other activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my text message, I apologized deeply, and asked for another appointment. When he could, the person responded with another date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I felt so bad, for two reasons. First, how was it possible that I had fallen asleep so deeply with something that was so important to me? And second, I felt very embarrassed with the person I had the appointment with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few months later, it came to light that my health was not good. I had a very acute internal imbalance, which resulted in me being extremely tired at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Months later, I found myself in the hospital for a week taking care of my health. My body took time to get back into proper balance. And I don\u2019t fall asleep anymore! Haha\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a diametrically opposite contrast, upon returning from the hospital, I went almost a week without sleep. The doctors couldn’t give me a specific reason why I couldn’t fall asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During those sleepless nights, I had many opportunities to think and feel many things that I couldn’t before because of all the time my body was asking me to sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Physically, I was very, very tired, but there was something profoundly different. Even though I was physically in pain, my mind was very clear. Being awake, I could be attentive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your life, what have been the circumstances when you have been able to be truly attentive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a moment in Scripture when Jesus tells us to be awake. In your experience, what is it like to be awake?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond common sense, when I was asleep I couldn’t even perceive the passage of time. When I was awake, I could be a little more attentive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How could you stay a little more awake, and therefore more attentive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the season when I fell asleep even at times I didn’t want to, when I was awake I had a sense of urgency and desperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is your experience of being awake?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What may Jesus want you to perceive when you are awake?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Spirit leads you, ask Jesus the carpenter how you can be awake, and what he wants you to perceive better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marisol<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S. We can hear about Jesus’ invitation to be awake in the readings of the First Sunday of Advent, year\/cycle C.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The pandemic had already begun a few months before. Uncertainty was present in the environment. It was not prudent to see each other as we were used to. Outside of our homes, communication took a digital turn in audio and video. On one occasion, I had a video call appointment at around nine in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-2-2"],"yoast_head":"\n