This morning I opened my “unique” Advent Calendar door to find a common grocery store receipt. This really is a strange Advent calendar! So far everything has been rather mundane. Looking at the receipt, my first thought was, “Well, this is a little too real for the holiday season!” Receipts don’t feel very festive, do they? But then I looked closer. As I read through the list of what was bought, it struck me: our receipts tell a story about us. What we consume—both literally and spiritually—shapes who we are. (Apparently my story involves a lot of eggnog!)
 
So here’s the Advent question for us: What am I consuming? Does it align with the life God is calling me to live, or is it leaving me spiritually malnourished?
 Advent is a season of preparation, and part of that is reflecting on what we take in—our habits, our thoughts, our priorities. Are we filling ourselves with what satisfies our souls? Or are we overloading on the spiritual equivalent of eggnogg—things that might feel good in the moment but leave us bloated or feeling empty later?
 
Today’s first reading gives us a glimpse of what God wants to offer us: a feast of rich food and choice wines on His holy mountain. The readings today aren’t just about physical food—it’s a symbol of the spiritual nourishment God longs to give us. In the Gospel, we see Jesus feeding the crowd with bread and fish, not only meeting their physical hunger but also revealing His deep compassion. I’m reminded of refrain from the popular song we sing at Mass, “You satisfy the hungry heart.”
 The disciples are overwhelmed when they see the hungry crowd and ask, “Where could we ever get enough bread?” But Jesus gently shows them that even their meager resources—seven loaves and a few fish—are enough in His hands. He blesses, breaks, and multiplies what they offer, and the result is abundance: not just enough, but leftovers! More than enough! The Gospel reminds us that Jesus knows what we truly need, even when we don’t. And He is always ready to provide for us—if we trust Him with what little we have.
 So let’s take a moment to consider our own “receipts.”
 

• What do we consume physically? Advent is a great time to simplify our lives. Maybe it’s cutting back on excess or choosing to fast occasionally, not just to deny ourselves but to create space for God.
• What do we consume spiritually? What are we filling our minds and hearts with? Is it Scripture, prayer, and uplifting relationships, or are we letting negativity, distractions, or empty pursuits take over?
• What do we offer back to God? Just like the disciples with their seven loaves, we might feel like we don’t have much to give. But when we trust Jesus with what little we have, He multiplies it beyond anything we could imagine.

 As we journey through Advent, let’s remember that Jesus doesn’t just want to meet our physical needs—He wants to nourish our souls. Like the crowd in the Gospel, He invites us to sit down, trust Him, and be fed by His abundant grace.
 
So the next time you look at a receipt, let it remind you to pause and ask: What am I consuming, and does it lead me closer to Christ? If we let Him fill us, we won’t just be satisfied—we’ll overflow with His goodness, ready to share it with the world. Amen.