Weekly Reflections
Feast of the Holy Family, December 31, 2023
The Holy Family was a typical and observant Hebrew family / The importance of unselfishness in families and in the Kingdom
Gospel: Luke 2: 22–40
The favor of God was upon him
The Holy Family was a typical and observant Hebrew family / The importance of unselfishness in families and in the Kingdom
Luke 2:22–40
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Music Meditations
- Mary, did you know?—Pentatonix
- When Joseph was an old man—Jose Feliciano
- Joy to the world--Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Opening Prayer
adapted from today’s Psalm 105:
I give thanks to you, O Lord, I invoke your name I will make your name and your seeds known among the nations. I will sing to you, sing your praise, Proclaim all your wondrous deeds ( Pause here and consider what deeds of Christ have helped/saved you and yours) I give glory to your holy name, O Jesus I rejoice with all hearts that seek you I look to you, Lord in your strength I constantly seek your face. Amen
Companions for the Journey
From ‘Living Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Today’s Gospel says, “They took [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord’.” The actual ritual is not described but we are introduced to two elderly people who were in the Temple at the time. The first of these was a devout man called Simeon. He had been told that he would not die until he had first laid eyes on the promised Messiah. Guided by the Spirit he came into the Temple and recognized in Mary’s child the long-awaited Messiah. He makes a prayer of thanksgiving to God for answering his prayer “for my eyes have seen your salvation”. And what he has seen is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel”. Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, is a divine revelation to the non-Jews and the glory of God’s own people from whom he came. Mary and Joseph are quite amazed at the words being spoken. There is a lot they still do not know about their Son. But Simeon then had some ominous words for the Mother: “This child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” This is the paradox of Jesus. He comes as Savior bringing life for the whole world and yet there will be people who will reject his message of truth and life. His own people will be deeply divided over him. This will be a source of deep pain for the Mother, something she will not realize fully until she sees him die in agony before her eyes. Simeon’s words must have been very puzzling and even alarming to Mary and Joseph. The second person to greet the parents and their Child was another deeply religious person. She was Anna, whose husband had died after only 7 years of marriage and who had now been a widow for more than 60 years. She spent all her time in the Temple in prayer and fasting. On seeing the Child, she gave thanks to God and spoke about him to everyone she met. As mentioned, when this feast was called the Purification of Our Lady there was for a long time a custom in the Church for mothers to go through a purification ceremony after giving birth. Such a rite is now seen as inappropriate but the revised Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual) still provides for the blessing of women both before and after birth. The latter is only in cases where the mother could not be present at the baptism of her child. In general, it would seem highly appropriate for a special blessing to be given to mothers on this day. The feast is now called the Presentation of Our Lord and the emphasis is more on Jesus than on his Mother. The blessing and the procession of candles as well as the Scripture readings focus on Jesus who is the “Light of the World”. The First Reading is from the prophet Malachi. It consists of a prophecy which can be applied to the Messiah and hence to Jesus. The opening sentence reminds one of John the Baptist: “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me”. But then the rest of the sentence foreshadows today’s feast: “Suddenly there come to the temple the Lord whom you seek and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” A clear reference to Jesus, as the Word of God and the one who will inaugurate the New Covenant between God and his people. The prophecy goes on to warn that the coming Messiah will be a real challenge, he will be “like the refiner’s fire”. He will refine the sons of Levi, “refining them like gold or silver, that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord”. For those who welcome his message and his call, Jesus is good news but for those who will reject his call it will mean death and the end of life. The Second Reading is from the Letter to Hebrews. It speaks of the meaning of God’s Son coming to live among us as one of us, which, of course, is the theme of today’s feast. For the Son of God came to share our flesh and blood and all that goes with it. It was in this way that he would “destroy the one who has power of death, that is, the devil”. On the contrary, he has come to liberate “those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life”. In order to do this, the Son “had had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people”. And, on the cross, Jesus will be both Priest and Victim, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As the reading concludes, “because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”. All of this is foreshadowed in the warnings that Simeon gives to Mary about the sword of sorrow which will pierce her heart.
Further reflection:
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
The favor of God was upon him
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
Meditations
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Memory:
Adapted from Terrance Klein, in “America”, the Jesuit weekly magazine: There would have been tears, I think. If Simeon had waited all those years for the Lord, if Anna were a widow and so advanced in age, they would have shed tears when they saw the Infant King, certainly when they were allowed to hold him. It is quite possible that Mary and Joseph shed a few tears while nurturing and bringing up Jesus—tears when he was sick, tears when he was lost, tears when he seemed to have plans for life that differed from the norm. The tears of the first half of life are often tears of disappointment or impatience, because we have made mistakes, or because life is not unfolding as we wish, or not unfolding fast enough…… Life’s second half is awash in tears. Tears for what happened long ago, in the first half; tears because time is too short to be savored; tears because life itself has begun to run deeper. Everything seems to matter more.
Where are you in your life’s journey right now? Have you shed tears for mistakes you or others have made? Have you shed tears for the loss of someone important to you? Have you shed tears of joy for a wonderful experience you have had?
Spend a little time sorting through the memories you have accumulated in your life so far. Thank God for the good things that have given you joy and for the bad or sad things that have made you strong.
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
Imagine that you are standing by when this couple comes into the temple, having offered the poor peoples’ sacrifice of two turtledoves. What are they wearing, and how are they behaving toward this infant? Who is holding him? What are the expressions on their faces? Do they seem somewhat in awe of their surroundings? In awe of the precious gift of a child? Now take a look at who else is there. Describe the old man Simeon. Why does this couple give him the child to hold? What is his expression when the baby is placed in his arms? How do you react to the words of thanksgiving that Simeon utters? How would you react if you were Simeon? Now take a look at the old woman, Anna the prophetess. In your mind’s eye, imagine what she looks like, what she is wearing. Do you think Mary and Joseph were taken aback by her prediction? Do you feel for his parents when you hear what the future holds for them? What words in his prediction might also apply to you in your life? Put these words in your own vernacular, and make this your evening prayer this week: Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples. A light for the revelation to the Gentiles. And glory for your people Israel.
Poetic reflection:
Read this poem by Michael J. Kennedy, S.J., (Taken from “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province, 2007) and see if any of the observations he makes apply to you:
“Leave it to Beaver”
(Holy Family)There are at Least two things that Mess up our appreciation of The Holy Family and the first is The utter uniqueness of this family For who can relate to a mother Who is a virgin and a step-father Of sorts and a Son who is unlike Any son before or after and yet The second reason we do not really Get them might be the source Of our ignorance because we Keep pushing our preconceived Ideas as fact instead of Trying to accept the Gospel on its Own terms **** So we often see Mary As above being human capable Of magic and sort of floating Above others during her life On earth and we see Joseph as A kindly old man mostly out of Touch with reality and one who Died way before Calvary and The first Easter and Jesus We see as a terrific First century Superman **** But if we look More closely and accept The Scriptures as they are We then see a generous and loving Spouse and a young Jewish mother And a Son who was not just the Son of God but also fully human And the reason for the holiness Of this family is because they Were so human yet filled with Faith since they were a real Family and not one like the Phony family in Leave It to Beaver
Poetic Reflection:
Please read this poem for the season by Dr. Maya Angelou... it will soothe your soul...
"Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem"
Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses. Flood waters await us in our avenues. Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche Over unprotected villages. The sky slips low and grey and threatening. We question ourselves. What have we done to so affront nature? We worry God. Are you there? Are you there really? Does the covenant you made with us still hold? Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters, Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air. The world is encouraged to come away from rancor, Come the way of friendship. It is the Glad Season. Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner. Flood waters recede into memory. Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us As we make our way to higher ground. Hope is born again in the faces of children It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets. Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things, Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors. In our joy, we think we hear a whisper. At first it is too soft. Then only half heard. We listen carefully as it gathers strength. We hear a sweetness. The word is Peace. It is loud now. It is louder. Louder than the explosion of bombs. We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence. It is what we have hungered for. Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace. A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies. Security for our beloveds and their beloveds. We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas. We beckon this good season to wait a while with us. We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come. Peace. Come and fill us and our world with your majesty. We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian, Implore you, to stay a while with us. So we may learn by your shimmering light How to look beyond complexion and see community. It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time. On this platform of peace, we can create a language To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other. At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ Into the great religions of the world. We jubilate the precious advent of trust. We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope. All the earth's tribes loosen their voices To celebrate the promise of Peace. We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Non-Believers, Look heavenward and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation. Peace, My Brother. Peace, My Sister. Peace, My Soul.
Closing Prayer
From Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Jesus, you share my humanity in every way. Like you I want to grow and become strong, filled with wisdom. I still have miles to go before I sleep. May the favor of God be with me as with you.
Leviticus on Purification According to the Law of Moses
‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl.’
12 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. 5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.
6 “‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.[a] 7 He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.
“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 24, 2023
Listening to and accepting God’s plans for me
Gospel: Luke 1: 26–38
Let it be done to me according to your word
Listening to and accepting God’s plans for me
Luke 1:26–38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
“He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
“And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Music Meditations
- “Holy Is His Name” (composed by John Michael Talbot) [YouTube]
- “Mary Did You Know?” (sung by Anthem Lights) [YouTube]
- Night of Silence/Silent Night (St Olaf Choir Minnesota)
Opening Prayer
From the prayer from the liturgy for the Fourth Sunday of Advent:
In the psalms of David
in the words of the prophets
In the dreams of Joseph,
your promise is spoken, eternal God,
and takes flesh at last
In the womb of the Virgin.
May Emmanuel find welcome in our hearts.
take flesh in our lives, and be for all peoples
the welcome advent of redemption and grace.
We ask this through him whose coming is certain
whose Day draws near:
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
One God, for ever and ever.
Companions for the Journey
Adapted from a sermon N.G. delivered at Stanford’s University Public Worship in 2008 (with a little help from Walter Burghardt, S.J.):
Can it be that Christmas is almost upon us? Where did Advent go? It seems that Christmas comes while we are busy doing other things: baking cookies to leave on people’s doorsteps, writing cards, shopping—mostly online these days, trimming trees, creating a sense of nostalgia about what Christmas ought to be but can’t be this year this year (and maybe never was…). And becoming a family happens, too, often while we are not paying attention: while we are trying to decide how to adapt our Christmas traditions to ones that are safe, or attending the kindergartner’s Christmas Sing via zoom, or patching up boo-boo’s or listening to our pre-teen talk about how mean the other kids are. That’s how family happens. That’s how becoming a family happens except most of the time we are not thinking about it, we are simply going about the business of living and loving. And a marriage happens that way and also divorce it seems, while we do the dishes or do lunch or make love or make money, or hang drapes or hang lives—or don’t do any of those things. That’s when and how marriages happen and how divorces happen, and sometimes we don’t even know it.. Life is what happens when we are making other plans.
It is also true that that is the way God happens—as we go about doing other things. Look at Luke’s story of a Hebrew maiden in Galilee: As she swept the floor or washed clothes or baked bread, (somehow I don’t think she spent her days praying at a pri dieu while servants did the heavy lifting), as she busied herself about the task of putting together the pieces of her future, into the midst of her dreaming and planning for her new life comes God disguised as an angel (which is almost always how God comes—in disguise—and turns her future upside down.
When I was young, I believed that Mary serenely acquiesced to what was being asked of her—she had no fears, no doubts; after all, she was being given the great honor of carrying God. Who could say no to that? Well, a closer reading of this gospel passage Has Luke portraying Mary as unsettled and perplexed by this unannounced visit. Catholic tradition has had much to say about the confusion and hesitation that Mary experiences when the angel first makes its announcement. (”She was much perplexed and pondered what sort of greeting this might be… ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’”)
As a result, Christian artists have tended to focus on Mary’s surprise at the moment the angel approaches her. In many Renaissance Annunciations, Mary holds up her hand, palm outward, as if to tell the angel to slow down; in Botticelli’s sublime Cestello Annunciation—probably my favorite painting of all time—Mary’s knees buckle and her eyes drift closed, as if she is about to faint. In a Donatello sculpture from about 1430, Mary’s body twists away from the angel even as she turns her face toward him. In an even more dramatic Ghiberti relief from 1407, the Virgin holds up an arm protectively, as if she expects the angel to strike her. A Memling Annunciation from the 1480’s, like Botticelli’s, portrays a fainting Virgin; however, in this one, she has a couple of smaller angels conveniently at hand to help keep her steady.
One more look at the passage shows that “she was greatly troubled” at Gabriel’s announcement. And “she pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” The angel quickly has to reassure her, “do not be afraid.” How could she not be afraid? In her tiny village, where everyone knows everyone else and many people are related to one another, everyone knows that she and the man who is already her legal husband have not yet begun to live together. And all of them can count to nine. What will they say about her, what kinds of nasty looks will they cast her way when her precious child is born too soon?
The angel did not lay out a blueprint for Mary—telling her in great detail what the scenario would be. So the key words here are not obedience, but courage and trust. It is the same for us. At least in my life, no angel appeared at my graduation from a tiny women’s college in New Haven with a little outline mapping out future events. Life unfolded, day by day, year by year, crisis by crisis and joy by joy, until this very moment, when the road ahead is still not any too clear. There are still options to be weighed, choices to be made, and where the spirit will lead I, personally, do not have a clue. As I look back, I see that often I had to trust in God when the way was murky or painful, I had to have the courage to make difficult choices when an easier way presented itself. Sometimes I had that courage, and other times, unlike Mary, I hedged my bets, choosing a safer route.
The bottom line is this: when God called Mary, when God asks you and me: “Will you?”, he reveals very little: the basic call, the bare bones. His invitation does not include a vita, a biography, a script; and so it calls for an unbelievable faith, trust beyond imagining, your hand in God’s. He does not promise a rose garden. He only promises that whatever the garden, Eden or Gethsemane, He will be there, faithful through all your infidelities.
Given the open-ended nature of the request, given the fact that Mary lived in a society where unmarried women who fetched up pregnant were often stoned, given the fact that She and Joseph did not make this decision together (I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that first discussion between the two of them), it is almost unbelievable that she responded that way the Luke says she did. “Be it done unto me according to your word”
Mary lived out that “yes” through the hardship of eking out a living in a land beset with political and economic woes, through the normal problems and joys of being a parent, through witnessing the difficulties of her son’s unpredictable career. She lived out that “yes” as she stood at the foot of the cross one terrible Friday afternoon, as she huddled in fear with the remnant of Jesus’ followers in that upper room after he died, as she went wherever life and the early church community took her. Her yes had to be said once, and repeated in her heart over and over. She, actually, was Jesus’ first disciple. According to St Augustine, DOING THE WILL OF JESUS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING THE MOTHER OF JESUS. So it was with Mary herself.
So it is with us. Through the changes and adjustments, through wonderment and success, through sorrow and loss, through uncertainty, and often failure, we learn that doing the will of Jesus is easy when it is what we want, less so when it is something we do not choose to have happen. “Be it done according to your word” is harder to say when God’s word and my wishes don’t always line up perfectly. We are asked to give birth to the word of God in our everyday lives. The question: Will you follow me? Will you bring the Word of God into a broken and troubled world?
Saying yes, or “let it be” will change our lives, break our hearts, and move us closer to the Kingdom of God’s love.
That is how God happens.
Further reflection:
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
Let it be done to me according to your word
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
- What are some real-life attention-getters that we sometimes do not recognize as a visitation of the Holy Spirit?
- When have you most felt favored by God?
- Has your life turned out exactly as you have planned it?
Is that good or bad? - Who reveals to you the mysterious presence of God in human flesh?
- When have you experienced God dwelling with you in difficult circumstances?
- Is God asking you to do or agree to something that seems impossible?
Has it happened in the past?
What was your answer?
What will it be now? - When has doing God’s will been easy?
When has it been hard? - In what sense am I available to God’s spirit in me?
What holds me back? (Fears, prejudices, greed, need to control the results; need for success, jealousy, resentments, excessive self-doubts, perfectionism (Mother Teresa: “Jesus did not call us to be perfect, He called us to be faithful”), sheer laziness)
What holds me back? - To which people in my life have I been anointed to bring glad tidings?
What are those messages? - How do I deal with sudden changes in my life?
What is my first reaction?
How do I adjust to those changes?
Can I imagine Mary going through the same process? - Doing the will of Jesus is more important than being the mother of Jesus. In my own life, it might be easier to do God's will when it is what I want, less so when is something I did not want to have happen. Doing the will of God is easier when it is something we want to do or expected to do anyway. Doing the will of God is much harder when it takes us out of our comfort zone. But when God happens in all part of our lives, our job is to say yes, not as an act of a blind faith, but as an act of the will. How did Mary deal with the unknown? How do we?
- When God called Mary, when God asks you and me: “Will you?”, he reveals very little: the basic call, the bare bones. His invitation does not include a vita, a biography, a script; and so it calls for an unbelievable faith, trust beyond imagining, our hand in God’s. Was this situation much easier for Mary than it would be for us?
Why or why not?
Meditations
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
A young girl, sheltered, waiting in Galilee, waiting for her life to begin. She is a virgin, untouched, still almost a child. Waiting. A marriage is planned for some time in the future. A contract has been made, a formal betrothal. He is older, stable, kind. They will never be rich; he is only a carpenter, after all. But life will be predictable, safe. Joseph will care for her. Until then, she works at home, and dreams of the future. Life will be good. She knows that.
Gradually, she is aware of wind, a slight noise, something is in the room with her. “Hello, Mary.” She hears her name on the merest breath of a sound. And with that greeting, her life changes forever.
Can you imagine that conversation between Mary and her parents? How does she explain things to Joseph? In her tiny village, where everyone knows everyone else and many people are related to one another, everyone knows that she and the man who is already her legal husband have not yet begun to live together. But all of them can count to nine. What will they say about her, what kinds of nasty looks will they cast her way when her precious child is born too soon? What makes her decide to visit her cousin Elizabeth so far away? What is the trip like? How does Elizabeth greet her? Does Mary’s response surprise you?
Go over the words of the Magnificat and savor the way in which Mary feels God’s presence in her life and in the world. Open yourself up to whatever God is calling you to this day. Contemplate how God is present to you, when, like Mary, you don’t get what you want, but get, instead, what God wants for you. Practice acceptance. Practice faith. Practice hope.
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
This meditation is based on the events just after the Annunciation in the gospel of Luke; the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth:
It is striking that Mary, newly pregnant, hurries to the side of her cousin Elizabeth, to offer companionship and whatever help Elizabeth might need. Henry Nouwen said:
I find the meeting of these two women very moving, because Elizabeth and Mary came together and allowed each other to wait. Mary’s visit made Elizabeth aware of what she was waiting for. The child leapt for joy in her. Mary affirmed Elizabeth’s waiting. And then Elizabeth said to Mary: “Blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary responded: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” These two women created space for each other to wait. They affirmed for each other that something was happening worth waiting for. Here we see a model for the Christian community. It is a community of support, celebration, and affirmation in which we can life up what has already begun in us. The visit of Elizabeth and Mary is one of the Bible’s most beautiful expressions of what it means to form community, to be together, gathered around a promise, affirming what is happening among us.
—Henri Nouwen, The Path of Waiting, p 23-24
Have you ever looked upon marriage, upon friendship and community as a way to wait together for what is to come? Sometimes all that is needed when someone is troubled or frightened is to be present, to sit with another in his or her sadness or fear and simply to be there for that person. However, there are times when we get so wrapped up in our own obligations, busyness or problems that we miss the cues that tell us we are needed. Have you ever known anyone who just seemed to come alive in the service to others? Did that person’s energy inspire you to exert yourself a little more? Is there a friend or someone in your family you can count on when you need companionship, especially while you are in transitional moments of your life? Do you count God or any of the saints as companions in such times? Speak to Jesus about your need for him in good times and in bad.
Poetic Reflection:
A discussion on the poem “Annunciation” by the late Stanford Professor Denise Levertov, adapted from Poetry Magazine:
Levertov asks us to slow down, to take a second look, to ponder for a moment what this eternal moment was like for Mary. Levertov invites us to notice. To notice Mary and her courage, her willing consent, her freedom offered to the glory of God. And as we do this, Levertov asks us one more thing: to take seriously that we might also experience an annunciation. Not just like this, of course, and yet something like this. Certainly, as she says, there have been other annunciations, some, where the recipient accepts openly; some happen where the recipient accepts in a sullen spirit, still others, where there have been outright refusals. And this observation both heightens the beauty, boldness, and courage of Mary’s response as well as invites us to wonder if we might do the same. Invites, us, indeed, to do the same: to be open to the movement of God, to receive with courage and joy, mingled of course with a holy terror at the presence of God, and in this way to participate in the movement of the Spirit:
“Annunciation”
We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,
almost always a lectern, a book; always
the tall lily.
Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,
the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering,
whom she acknowledges, a guest.But we are told of meek obedience. No one mentions
courage.
The engendering Spirit
did not enter her without consent.
God waited.She was free
to accept or to refuse, choice
integral to humanness.
Aren’t there annunciations
of one sort or another
in most lives?
Some unwillingly
undertake great destinies,
enact them in sullen pride,
uncomprehending.
More often
those moments
when roads of light and storm
open from darkness in a man or woman,
are turned away fromin dread, in a wave of weakness, in despair
and with relief.
Ordinary lives continue.
God does not smite them.
But the gates close, the pathway vanishes.
She had been a child who played, ate, slept
like any other child–but unlike others,
wept only for pity, laughed
in joy not triumph.
Compassion and intelligence
fused in her, indivisible.Called to a destiny more momentous
than any in all of Time,
she did not quail,
only asked
a simple, ‘How can this be?’
and gravely, courteously,
took to heart the angel’s reply,
the astounding ministry she was offered:to bear in her womb
Infinite weight and lightness; to carry
in hidden, finite inwardness,
nine months of Eternity; to contain
in slender vase of being,
the sum of power–
in narrow flesh,
the sum of light.
Then bring to birth,
push out into air, a Man-child
needing, like any other,
milk and love–but who was God.
This was the moment no one speaks of,
when she could still refuse.A breath unbreathed,
Spirit,
suspended,
waiting.
She did not cry, ‘I cannot. I am not worthy,’
Nor, ‘I have not the strength.’
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
raging, coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
consent illumined her.
The room filled with its light,
the lily glowed in it,
and the iridescent wings.
Consent,
courage unparalleled,
opened her utterly.
Artistic Meditation:
Pick an artistic depiction or two on the subject of the Annunciation (Fra Angelico, Boticelli, da Vinci, Caravaggio, Murillo, Dinatello, for example), or use this one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Annunciation_(Leonardo).jpg Reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
General Guidelines for viewing artistic representation of the Annunciation:
Each artist who has rendered a painting of the Annunciation (and there are many) has offered his or her unique interpretation, both artistically and religiously, of this sacred mystery. Keep in mind that each artist may also use details such as dress and physical surroundings which more closely match the culture from which he or she is coming rather than the actual biblical time and place. This is, in some ways, not true to scripture, but it is true to the understanding that biblical narratives are not just period pieces, or good stories, but can be interpreted through the filters of our own experience and should offer meaning for us and hope for us in the time and place in which we find ourselves. In that sense, they are timeless.
There are several artistic conventions surrounding religious/biblical art:
- Birds are a symbol of the spiritual; a dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit
- The angel Gabriel, either aloft or on the ground, is usually portrayed in human form, beautiful and young; some robes can be said to be priestly and flowing, others ethereal. Gabriel often is seen with a lily, which is the symbol of his official task as a herald. Occasionally he is portrayed with a scepter, sometimes with the words “Ave Maria, gratia plena” on or around it. In any event, his affect would portray his origin from on high, his attitude toward for Mary, and the content of his message.
- Mary is almost always shown with a halo, or even a crown to reflect her holiness. The style and elegance of the halo/crown (gold with jewels or a simple wreath of flowers) is deliberate. It is significant when she is not painted with a halo or crown. If she is bareheaded, then it implies a sense of privacy or intimacy, as women throughout much of history did not go out in public with their heads uncovered.
- Olive branches or olive wreaths are a sign of peace
- The colors used by the artist for the clothing, and for the background carry a message as well.
- Sometimes there are other scenes, some peopled with saints, biblical personages, or significant architectural details which are seen in the distance or in the background. For example, Fra Angelico’s painting is set in the Dominican convent of St. Mark, and a Dominican, St Peter Martyr, stands to the left.
Questions for Art Reflection on the Annunciation:
Where does this seem to be taking place? Describe the room or surroundings. Is the space indoors or out, public or private? That do you think the author is trying to convey? Are there other people in the vicinity? Does the angel lay out a blueprint for her future? Is God asking me right now to do something that seems impossible?
What do you notice about the posture of Mary? (Is she serenely listening? Is she brooding? Is she repulsed? Are her knees buckling in trepidation? What is the position of her arm or arms? What is her facial expression? What does that suggest to you? Do you get a sense of the artist’s interpretation of Mary’s personality, her response to God’s message, or her possible answer? How would I react in similar circumstances? Who reveals to me the mysterious presence of God in my life? Have I ever been faced with a very frightening situation and been assured that God was with me as I went forward?
Closing Prayer
Take some time to offer personal prayers for yourself or others, if you wish to…
By Thomas Merton:
You have trusted no town
With the news behind your eyes
You have drowned Gabriel’s word in thoughts like seas
And turned toward the stone mountain
To the treeless places.
Virgin of God, why are your clothes like sail?
Reflections for the 4th Sunday of Advent from “First Impressions”
It is the final Sunday of Advent. Before we focus on today’s readings did you notice the pattern or themes of the Sunday Gospels over the four weeks? The pattern is the same in each of the Sundays of our three-year cycle.
“FIRST IMPRESSIONS”
4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B) DEC. 24, 2023
2 Samuel 7: 1-5,8b-12,14a,16 Ps 89 Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38
by Jude Siciliano, O.P. <jude@judeop.org>
It is the final Sunday of Advent. Before we focus on today’s readings did you notice the pattern or themes of the Sunday Gospels over the four weeks? The pattern is the same in each of the Sundays of our three-year cycle.
The first Sunday of Advent always has an apocalyptic theme. This year it was from Matthew (13:33-37). “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” So Advent opens with caution and uncertainty about the Parousia -- the second coming of the Lord.
Our second Sunday featured John the Baptist and his call to us to, “Prepare the way of the
Lord, make straight his paths!”
Staying with this year’s Advent Gospels, the third Sunday (John 1:6-8, 19-28) also has John the Baptist, but he is denying his authority and highlights, “The one who is coming after
me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
Which brings us to today’s fourth and final Advent gospel. This gospel usually is about details right before Jesus’ birth. Today’s is from Luke (1:26-38) and is the evangelists account of the Annunciation. Knowing the pattern of these Sunday gospel can help worshiper hear and respond to the good news they contain for us now.
Today’s first reading from 2 Samuel, points to the dangers of religion becoming institutionalized and fixed in brick and mortar, stained glass and flower arrangements. When the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, God traveled with them and dwelt in their midst in the “meeting tent.” God wasn’t limited to one place made by human hands, but moved in the hearts and faith of the people. But now Israel was going through a comfortable period of peace and prosperity with its enemies vanquished and king David ensconced in a comfortable palace. He had led his people from being a loose assembly of tribes to a politically stable nation. Now he wants to bring the ark of the covenant from its tent dwelling to a temple he considers suitable for
God. He probably also hopes the elaborate temple he has in mind will show that the nation has arrived; these are a people of some importance. Seems to make sense, doesn’t it? But, David needs to be reminded who’s in charge. God was the one who took the lowly shepherd boy David (“from the pasture and from the care of the flock”) and made him king of Israel. God, not David, was the reason for Israel’s success and God will be the one to give them peace and protection from their enemies. Since God was the reason for their past success God, not David, will see to their future as well.
Our relationship with God is alive, flexible and growing. This kind of relationship challenges us to see God moving with us through our lives and giving us opportunities for a growth in faith. Some people still worship the God they knew as children, a God frozen in the past and
recalled with romantic images and spoken to with prayers that may no longer reflect current realities. David wants to build God a fixed dwelling; God will have none of it. The true “house of God” is established by God (“...God will establish a house for you”) and moves with us through our lives and the lives of our descendants, helping us face the challenges desert was out different stages of our lives present. God had a much better idea than David. David’s son Solomon would get to build the temple, but it would be destroyed, the people scattered and taken into exile. Away from their land and with their temple destroyed, they would have no need for a God fixed in some former place. What they needed was a traveling God who could accompany them in their travail to a foreign land and then lead them once again to freedom.
It’s a very human instinct, to want to build a temple for God. Of course a believing community needs a place to worship, we are not the ancient Israelites traveling through the wilderness with a portable temple that can be set up and taken down as the community moves. But the reading does place a caution before us “temple builders.” When we build the temple, we will determine its dimension. We will image God in it; maybe even make God in our own image and likeness. (God may look white and male, if that’s what the ones in charge of the design look
like.) A comfortable community may also want to have an image of a comfortable looking God in its temple, one that does not look like it will upset the status quo. We will also build the walls; keeping some out and shielding ourselves from outside influences. We will build doors, locate the entrance points into the temple, lay down rules for admission, welcome folks like us, but make others feel uncomfortable as they pass through. Such are the dangers of temple building.
God reminds David that God has “destroyed all your enemies.” Tomorrow is Christmas. What “enemies” can God help us deal with these days? The “enemies of the season” are many. For example, we carry idealized pictures in our heads of what a “merry Christmas” should look like -- the Hallmark card version. Very few, if any, of us can match that image, either from our past, or our present. God will help us work with the realities we face, and will be born among us in the real-life scenes of our daily lives. God will help us deal with the loneliness some of us experience in this season; God will travel with us in that wilderness. God will be the assurance we need as we feel so inadequate for the way this season is advertised -- a jolly time of “good will towards all.” God will also feed our hunger to see Jesus born again among us after so many half-hearted attempts on our part for renewal and re-commitment to
faith.
Which moves our attention to the gospel reading and the announcement of the birth of the descendant of David, Jesus, whose “kingdom will have no end.” The gospel shows that God did exactly what God had always wanted to do, build a temple in human flesh and pitch another “meeting tent” among us. This temple would be lasting, mobile and the sure place of encounter with our God. God chooses to dwell right in our midst, as a human descendant of David. Mary is asked to help fulfill God’s ancient plan to establish the house of David forever. When Mary asks how all this will happen, she is assured that “the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” There it is--- the language of the Exodus. God’s cloud guided the people in the desert and rested on the “meeting tent” (Exodus 40: 35). This is the God we worship here today, the One who travels with us and rests upon us here in our prayer assembly and then guides our way during the week as we continue our desert travels.
We are very close to Christmas now. It isn’t just in the calendar date; you can hear it in the readings today. God’s promise of a permanent resting place with us is being fulfilled. And where will this God be found? Not in the places of power and world influence; but among those
of David’s line, who have known the powerful works of God in their lives. Just as David was instructed to look back and see how God had worked in his and the nation’s life, so we look back and see how God’s hand strengthened us when we were floundering across a difficult desert time. God guided us when we wandered, strengthened us when we faltered and consoled us when we wept.
Who are we gathered here at this Sunday worship? We are descendants of David, in Jesus Christ, who have known the same God who addressed David and who says to us too, “I have been with you, wherever you went....” We are the temple David wanted to build; our lives are also the unique works of art that cover its walls. Together we form a dwelling place for God on earth, a “meeting tent” where others can find God’s presence.
AN ADVENT POEM
MONEY ORDER ANGELS
With fingers seamed in sweet potato dirt
the migrant farm workers
count out new hundred dollar bills
for money orders
by the clerk.
When the winged god
of the U.S. Postal Service
scatters those bills across Mexico,
children have shoes and notebooks for school
beans and a chicken on Sunday
Grandmother gets new teeth
and wives smile at husband memories.
Like an Advent Angel
announcing that this birth counts
that someone can be counted on
the money orders fly
on filaments of faith
to brighten
barest rooms
Christmas blessings!
Sr. Evelyn Mattern
Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2023
Rejoice in the Lord always; like John, we are to be witnesses to the goodness of God
Gospel: John 1: 6–8, 19–28
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.
Rejoice in the Lord always; like John, we are to be witnesses to the goodness of God
John 1:6–8, 19–28
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Music Meditations
- O Come Emmanuel—by Jim Wolfe, sung by Chris Brunelle
- Holy is His Name—John Michael Talbot
- Breath of Heaven—Amy Grant
- People Look East—Alfred Deller and the Deller Consort
Opening Prayer
Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Companions for the Journey
From “First Impressions,” a service of the Southern Dominican Province:
How would you summarize Advent?—Hope? Waiting? Longing? Expectation? On the first Sunday of Advent we heard the prophet Isaiah pray, “Return for the sake of your servants…rend the heavens and come down.” We heard Jesus advise his disciples, “Be watchful! Be alert!” On the second Sunday Peter warned, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief…” And, “…we await a new heavens and a new earth.” John the Baptist announced, “One mightier than I is coming…” The first two weeks certainly had us looking and waiting for God to act. This Sunday has a bit more action in it—human action—as various people hear the call of God and do something.
The pattern today seems to be a “call—response” dynamic. Isaiah tells us about his anointing by God’s Spirit. That is just part of Isaiah’s experience with God. God’s blessing on Isaiah isn’t just for his own inspiration and edification, for God has sent him, he tells us, to bring “glad tidings to the poor.” God has a purpose, has work to be done and Isaiah is the instrument who will accomplish God’s purposes. Isaiah was sent to the nations, especially those eager to hear that God was coming to help them. Ours might not be such a broad or universal call. Nevertheless, like Isaiah, each baptized Christian has been called by name to proclaim, through words and deeds, “glad tidings” to those waiting in need of it. While we may admire the gifts and service other servants of God have, we have been uniquely gifted ourselves for service in God’s name. Each of us has our call; we have something to do—what is it?
In our psalm response, Mary proclaims God’s greatness—for though she is “lowly,” the Spirit of God has come upon her for a special mission. While she will give birth to the savior, even before this happens, she is already responding to her call as she opens her mouth and announces what God has done for her and will do for the poor who have turned to God for help. When the Spirit of God comes upon someone, like Isaiah and Mary, they cannot keep the news of God’s goodness to themselves, they must go and proclaim it to others. Which is what people in our parishes do. They have heard a call from God; they have been “anointed to bring glad tidings to the poor,” and so they do. They minister to the grieving; proclaim the scriptures in the assembly; sit with the dying and comfort their families; take the Eucharist to the aged and infirm; legislate on behalf of the homeless; serve on community boards for the homeless; teach good environmental practices to school children, etc. “Bringing glad tidings to the poor,” has as many faces as the members of our faith communities who have been baptized and anointed by the Spirit to fulfill God’s good work on earth.
“Hear ye, hear ye!” It’s the way trials begin here in the States. An officer of the court calls those assembled in the court room to attention and announces the arrival of the judge. The trial is beginning. John’s gospel has a similar beginning for very early we are introduced to John the Baptist. He was already well known by those early hearers of his gospel; his birth had been described by Luke and the three Synoptics describe his early preaching and baptizing mission. In fact, John was so renowned that some saw him as a greater prophet than Jesus. So, John the evangelist introduces us to the Baptist and clearly delineates his role: first by a series of “nots.” He is “not the Christ…not Elijah…not the Prophet.” John may have been immensely popular among those who heard and followed him, but he was only a precursor, anointed by God for his specific task: he was to announce Jesus’ coming.
At the end of this gospel Jesus will be put on trial, found guilty and executed. But this gospel shows us that we humans are really the ones on trial. The trial has begun and the first witness, John the Baptist, has been called forth to give witness to Jesus, who will describe himself in this gospel as “the way, the truth and the life.” John is just the first to come forward to bear witness to Jesus—more will follow. In particular, Jesus’ signs will testify to his identity: he will provide food for the hungry, he is the living bread; he will give water to those who thirst, he is living water; he will raise Lazarus from the dead, he is life itself; he will open the eyes of the blind, he is the light of the world. Indeed, Jesus will tell those who confront him for one of the signs he performed, the curing of the cripple man on the sabbath, that his works show that “the Father has sent me…and gives testimony on my behalf” (5, 37). God also bears witness to us about Jesus.
Those who hear this gospel and give ear to these witnesses will have to decide: is Jesus the One on whom we will place our faith? Will we follow him and reject what will not satisfy our hunger or quench our thirst for life—as Jesus does? If a trial has begun and witnesses are being called, then we being asked to make a decision: shall we accept what this gospel will say about Jesus? If so, how will it affect our lives? Of course, if we profess our faith in Christ by accepting the witnesses in John’s gospel, then we too will become another in the unbroken line of witnesses since John the Baptist. How we act…what we say…who we are…will either give witness to Jesus or deny him. People will draw their own conclusions about us: “Yes, that person is a true follower of Jesus, their life gives clear witness to him.” In the light of the witness theme which runs through John’s gospel, it is obvious that those who accept the testimony of the witnesses, must also live a public life of faith. Christianity is not a private religion, kept to oneself, but each of us must live up to the identity our baptism has given us as “lights of the world”.
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
- Have I ever deflected attention from myself and my accomplishments in order to emphasize the accomplishments or efforts of another?
When could this be false humility and when could it be the honest and gracious thing to do? - What is your greatest cause for joy? How do you share your joy with others?
- “You say you are Christians. Where the hell is your joy?” (Bertrand Russell)
How do we reflect the joy of the Incarnation to others around us? - What is the difference between joy and happiness?
Can I experience joy in the midst of sorrow or pain? - Has there ever been a time when an insignificant moment (in the eyes of others) actually meant a lot to you?
- Has there been a prophet in your life?
How has his/her advice affected your life? - What are the “wilderness experiences” in today’s world that need hope of rescue, Divine or otherwise?
- How are we called to be prophets for the kingdom?
- Who have I been anointed to bring glad tidings to in my life?
- From Jude Siciliano, O.P., in “First Impressions”:
Advent is a time for dreaming big dreams, and so we ask ourselves:
How does my life proclaim the greatness of God?
How can I share the goodness of God with others, especially the most needy? - From Paul Gallagher, OFM, in “First Impressions”:
Who are the people who confuse you?
Do you like to know who people are complicated or hard to understand?
Does it bother you when people act out of character from what you expect?
Are you ever tempted, or feel a pull, to respond to a person or a situation that is different than the way you normally would?
Do you usually follow that urge?
Are you generally pleased with the way you respond to those urges?
Do you think those urges might be from God?
Who have been the people in your life who have been the most effective in asking you to reflect on the way you live?
What meaning does your Baptism have for how you live your life? - From Barbara Reid, O.P., in America magazine:
How would you answer the question, “Who are you?”
Would others say the same about you if they were asked?
How do you recognize the One in our midst and point out that divine presence for others?
Meditations
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship:
We are what we love, If we love God, in whose image we were created, we discover ourselves in Him and we cannot help being happy; we have already achieved something of the fullness of being for which we were destined in our creation. If we love everything else but God, we contradict the image born in our very essence and we cannot help being unhappy because we are living a caricature of what we are meant to be.
—Thomas Merton
Spend some time talking to Jesus about what you love in this life, about what makes you happy, and what gives you joy. Resolve to strengthen your relationship with Jesus in these weeks of Advent, so that the joy of his love may be yours. Rest in silence.
A Meditation in the Thomistic Style/Asking Questions:
God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been solved, not because human pain and suffering have come to an end, or because thousands of people have been converted and are now praising him for his goodness. No, God rejoices because one of his children has been lost and been found.
—Henri Nouwen
God is continually offering us the opportunity to rejoice with him at his holy banquet, if only we can tear ourselves away from our miserable and self-absorbed table for one. What in my life distracts me from being joyful in the Lord?
- Too much work or too much responsibility? No one has ever been heard to say on his deathbed: “I wish I spent more time at the office.”
- Worry? Yet we know that worry about the future doesn’t change it one bit.
- Lack of belief that God is really calling you? The scriptures are full of instances where God says: “I have chosen you. I call you by name. You are mine.”
- In despair over the state our country and our world is in? Most of us ignore the little subtle signs that God is at work in the world.
In short, we all have a choice to stay rooted in fear, anger or sadness or to let go and let the Spirit take us where She will. True joy rises out of the lightness of soul we experience then we let God be in control. Ultimately, God will love us no matter what we choose. Doesn’t THAT bring you joy?
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
Adapted from Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
In prayer today, I walk with John in the desert. What does the desert feel like? Smell like? Sound like? What does John look like and how does he act? Am I drawn to him or repulsed by his appearance? I sit with my imaginary trip to the desert with John for a few moments. Then I let him ask me: ”Who are you?” And “How are you witnessing the presence of Jesus in our midst?” Then I ask myself, as someone following in John’s footsteps if I can I describe to others my relationship with Jesus and do so with as much conviction and integrity as John did….
And finally I pray: “Lord, I long to hear your healing voice. Give me a firm belief that you are always inviting me to share in your mission”.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:
Read Psalm 100 in light of the Isaiah passage. All too often, religious people are found to be without joy or humor or understanding. These people replace joy with judgment, replace humor with grim devotion to duty or rules, replace understanding with rigidity and spiritual arrogance. Find someone whom you admire for her joy as well as for her goodness, and go for a cup of coffee to see what makes her tick. Or, read something about someone whose humility gave him the perspective to experience true joy—say, C.S. Lewis, or Henri Nouwen, or Tony DeMello, S.J.
Poetic Reflection:
Read the following poem and ask yourself what you are choosing for this holiday season:
“The Winter Journey of Advent”
In this time of darkness,
We choose to look toward the Light.
In this time when so many suffer,
We choose faith, not despair:
We choose the work of compassionate justice.As we move through Advent together,
Hungry for transformation, for hope,
Our steps themselves
Transform us, nourish us.
We are on constant pilgrimage,
Moving to the heart of things,
Reaching beyond what any one of us
Can reach alone.The brightness of the Incarnation
Guides us as we continue,
With the promise of the Prince of Peace
As the bright star in these dark nights.—by Jane Deren, Education for Justice (from “First Impressions”)
Poetic Reflection:
Read this poem by the monk Thomas Merton. Then give yourself some time in silence to reflect on the question “Who are you?” during the quiet days of Advent:
”In Silence”
Be still
Listen to the stones of the wall.
Be silent, they try
To speak yourName.
Listen
To the living walls.
Who are you?
Who Are you? Whose
Silence are you?Who (be quiet)
Are you (as these stones
Are quiet). So not
Think of what you are
Still less of What you may one day be
Rather
Be what you are (but who?) be
The unthinkable one
You do not knowO be still, while
you are still alive
And all things live around you
Speaking (I do not hear)
To your own being,
Speaking by the Unknown
That is in you and in themselves.“I will try, like them
To be my own silence:
And this is difficult. The whole
World is secretly on fire. The stones
Burn, even the stones
They burn me. How can a man be still or
Listen to all things burning? How can he dare
To sit with them when
All their silence
Is on fire?”
Closing Prayer
This is the Latin version of the Magnificat from the opening prayer:
Magnificat anima mea Dominum;
Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo,
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae;
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus,
Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam brachio suo;
Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes.
Sucepit Israel, puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae,
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula.