Forward

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you’ve refreshed the hearts of God’s people. Philemon 1:7

During Advent, we’re invited to make an interior journey and to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. 

While the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is only 60 miles (96 km) as the crow flies, the route Mary and Joseph likely travelled for safety’s sake took them 80 miles (129 km) over rugged terrain. Today, the trip can be made in two to three hours by car, but when Joseph walked the route, leading the donkey that carried Mary, it probably took them nearly a week. The Gospels don’t really describe the kind of shelter loaned them on their arrival nor can we know how comfortable it was. It may have been a stable, or a cave or even a back room in a house where a family kept their livestock. Whatever it was, it wasn’t much of a welcome for the long-awaited Messiah; yet gladly, willingly, Jesus came to be born in that shelter and from that moment on, began changing the hearts and lives of all who welcome him in. The busy-ness we bring upon ourselves in the days before Christmas so often bring us stress rather than anticipation, short-fuses rather than kindness, exhaustion rather than celebration and conflict rather than harmony. These daily reflections are an invitation to experience more fully the true Advent gifts of hope, love, joy, and peace as we seek to make room in our hearts to embrace the One who knows and loves us best. 

Written by 19 Oblates and 6 Sisters, these daily offerings include a suggested reading. May these entries form part of your daily devotions. 

It is our prayer that these little embers, the lectio of our lives, will provide food for the journey. We welcome your company as we seek to make room in our hearts – and lives. 

Regular posts will commence on the first Sunday of Advent.  

Canadian Thanksgiving

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;

for faith in a world where many walk in fear;

for friends in a world where many walk alone;

we give you humble thanks, O Lord.

Watch this  space for a new series of Advent reflections, Coming Soon.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Psalm 45, 46

Isaiah 35:1–10        

Revelation 22:12–17, 21        

Luke 1:67–80

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;  for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways. To give God’s people knowledge of salvation, by the forgiveness of their sins.  Luke 1: 76 – 77 

Daily I recite the Song of Zechariah (Luke 1. 67 - 80) at Morning Prayer.  The words have sunk into my heart over the years.  I can imagine when I’m speaking them that I’m looking intently at a child held in my arms.  I don’t often stop to think who the child is.  The child could be those we are trying to nurture in the faith or Religious Life, or our family, community, or this fragile earth. The child could also be me.

Most of us by this time have much if not all of our preparations done for Christmas.  We’ve baked and cooked, cleaned and polished, bought or made gifts and wrapped them, sent cards and loving thoughts to friends and family members near and far.  All these preparations tell us that we are ready for the coming of Christmas, at least outwardly.  But what about our inmost preparations?

If I hear those same words of the Song of Zechariah as if they were addressed to me personally, then  I am the one who is to prepare God’s way, here and now.  I need to prepare God’s way in my heart and life.  If I know that my sins have been forgiven, then I can forgive others as our Saviour, the Messiah for whom we wait, taught us.  May we make our inmost preparations with as much attention as we do outwardly this Christmas.

- Sr. Elizabeth Ann Eckert, SSJD

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Psalm 93, 96

Isaiah 33:17–22      

Revelation 22:6–11, 18–20    

Luke 1:57–66

What then is this child going to be? Luke 1:66

Two more sleeps! A lot of children are getting excited about Santa visiting their homes tomorrow night and hoping for gifts to miraculously appear under the tree. A great deal of preparation and expectation goes into the weeks and days leading up to Christmas Day. During Advent, we have been preparing our hearts for the expected birth of the Baby Jesus. Indeed two births have been heralded by an angel, sent to announce to two unsuspecting families that each will welcome a son. These will be no ordinary sons, but special men, who will promote God's kingdom here on earth. In our Advent readings, John has now been born, to the delight of Elizabeth and Zechariah. This boy, ordained by God to play a key role in the drama of the ages, will grow “to be called a prophet of the Most High.” He will “go on before the Lord to prepare a way for Him”. Indeed, John will be first to call Jesus the Messiah. 

Along with youngsters counting the “sleeps” until Christmas, we too are excited as we prepare for the birth of Jesus.  Over the ages, has there ever been anything awaited with more anticipation than the birth of a baby? I think of Mary, in the throes of labour, arriving in Bethlehem, jogging along on a donkey to find that there was no available room where she might be delivered of her baby in some degree of comfort. I compare Mary's journey with my “in labour” trips, being driven in a comfortable car to the pristine sanctuary of a Toronto hospital. Jesus entered this world in a dirty, uncomfortable byre. Will He find a more welcoming place in our hearts this Christmastide? Have we prepared a pure and loving space for Him? Will we heed Zechariah's prophesy as he spoke lovingly of his son John, ”for he will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him.” Come, Lord Jesus.

   – Carolyn Madeley

Monday, December 22, 2014

Psalm 80

Isaiah 29:13–24        

Revelation 21:22—22.5    

Lk 1:39–48a(48b–56)

God listens and God responds. The pulse of the peoples’ pain and desire in Psalm 80 was so palpable; a psalm of remorse and lamentation, repentance and petition. Restore us, O God; Make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80: 3,7,19

A cry for forgiveness; for God to hear and to rescue them as they acknowledge their weakness and waywardness of spirit and beseech God for another chance; for new life! And because God so loves us he sent his only son into the world, not to condemn but to save the world through him and that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16-17

I identified with our ancestors as I thought about how many times I myself have strayed.  Can you? How many times in my own life have I, with wayward spirit, wandered off track as I followed the devices and desires of my own heart?  The many times that I have prayed:  Make haste O God to deliver me, O Lord make haste to help me! (Psalm 70:1) or Create in me a pure heart, O Lord; renew a right spirit within me? (Psalm 51:10)

I recalled the times God has restored my own life. I think about us

collectively, and how we need to continue to pray Restore us, O God; Make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved when we consider the chaos of the world in our time.

God hears and God responds. So as we reflect on the readings this Advent season may we also sing and pray Mary’s love song: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

May the God of all fill us with love, and the joy and peace of believing through the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.

- Sr. Rhonda Cross, SSJD

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Psalm 72      

Isaiah 28:9–22            

Revelation 21:9–21       

Luke 1:26–38 

And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.  Revelation 21:10-11

Last spring our congregation started something new. Twice a month we put a sign up on the sidewalk inviting our neighbours to “Come visit the Open Door today 2 – 4 pm: FREE”. We’re located across the street from a psychiatric hospital and the homes around us are mainly care facilities for adults who cannot live on their own. We set checkered cloths on card tables. The counter is laden with food. Many people say they come for the fresh brewed coffee. One day about 30 guests were gathered. There was lots of chatter while music played on the radio. A man wearing a helmet came in, head and shoulders above the crowd. That’s when we noticed he was wearing inline skates. Effortlessly, he skated around the perimeter and went out again. Minutes later he returned – this time with a man he’d just met on the street. “I told him he should come,” the skater said, “Told him he’d be welcome.” The two sat down, ate something, drank something else. Though new acquaintances, their heads were bent in seemingly serious conversation. Then the skater got up and skated off. A volunteer wondered who he was. Another asked how he knew they’d be welcome. The man he brought in said, “That’s simple. He told me you knew him.” One of the regulars said, “Yeah. You guys know Jesus.” 

Does Jesus wear roller blades?? Today’s reading invites us to open our hearts and see a new kind of city, where all are welcome; a rare jewel indeed.

– Frances Drolet-Smith

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Psalm 66,67       

Isaiah 11:10-16    

Revelation 20: 11- 21: 8     

Luke 1: 5-25

Today’s Scriptures offered me little inspiration until I realized that I was resisting the vision in Revelation of those souls who had not measured up so their names were not recorded in the Book of Life – they were thrown into the fiery lake.  My whole instinct cried “NO”.  Where was forgiveness?  This is not the God of love that I know. I remember Kathleen Norris saying we should not cut out the nasty bits in the Bible we don’t like; should rather look at them as reflecting our human condition. I found this helpful. If we are really honest, can we really say that we would not find satisfaction in seeing those people who despitefully use us get their comeuppance, or understand God’s forgiveness in the violence happening in our world? People often ask why people who have lived their lives doing evil should be given the same forgiveness as those who try to love their neighbours. The parable of the workers in the vineyard tells us God’s ways are not our ways.  

This brought me to consider the Child whose birth we are awaiting

and what followed.  The essence I found here was that God came into our world; in Jesus, God lived our human life, challenging our assumptions of how we should live.  After the Resurrection he returned to earth to spend time with his disciples, teaching them how to continue his work.  This underlines the view of the Kingdom of God being on earth, not in some far off place, removed us. The passage following the fiery lake reassures me of this.  The Kingdom will not remove us from earth, but God will come among us, and the earth will become the place God created it to be.  This is a message of hope. As we approach Christmas, I will open my eyes and heart to those moments when we see God’s kingdom working, not just in the future, but here and now, when God working in our human weakness can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine and I will sing with joy Thank you O my Father, for giving us your Son, and leaving us your Spirit, till the work on earth is done.

- Jean Gandon