Advent 2011

Advent 4

Watch for the Visit of the Angel

Have you observed that we sometimes go about our daily lives – that we follow our regular routines without paying attention to detail, and in the process, we may miss scores of sacred moments, or the mystery of God’s holy presence? Maybe it is that we don’t know what to expect – what to look for. Perhaps we don’t have in our repertoires what those flashes of live resemble, nor do we possess the necessary instructions to make such determinations.

How then are we to know when God is engaging us, when God is trying to get our undivided attention? Are there signs that escape us? Have there been occasions that caused us some degree of questioning in our hearts? What about those conversations that we may have had with a stranger, someone we met while waiting in the check-out line at the store, someone we met on a train, a plane, in the doctor’s office, or the unfamiliar person whom we sat next to at a concert?

After the encounter, the sharing and exchange of thoughts, ideas, and words, we may have wondered what they meant. Intentional analysis of the chance meeting might suggest that we were the recipient of a life-changing message, something upon which were expected to act.

What then do we make of the lingering thoughts that we have as a result of the encounter? Was the person we met, perhaps a messenger from the Creator, brought into our presence in a peculiar manner, to bring us information that we needed in order to make an important decision? In hindsight, we may have discovered that our indecision or refusal to act on a matter caused us to overlook a sacred opportunity.

Sometimes we even become remorseful or dejected upon realizing that we may have squandered a number of sacred possibilities, unfortunately because we failed to recognize the presence and announcement of a messenger of God. We need not dismiss all occurrences of conversations with strangers simply as happenstance. On occasion, they may very well be visits from an Angel. Brian+

Advent 3
Turn Awareness into Action

 An essential aspect of the mission of the Church, and by extension, her disciples, is to use this time of waiting during Advent, to practice awareness. It is possible that we, as well as those whom we are called to serve, can benefit from our intentional mindfulness.

As we continue to prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of our Savior’s birth, let us also embrace the awareness of the conditions of humankind. The world and its inhabitants have become so engrossed in business and “busyness.” We are so taken up with maximizing profits, and numerous other activities in which we seek to benefit ourselves, and our loved-ones.

We seem to have lost sight of our connectedness to others, to our duty, especially as disciples of Jesus, to love and care of one another. Perhaps this Advent, as we engage in prayer in the practice of our spirituality, we can ask God for the courage to act on behalf of those who need our help. We can take some time from our busy schedules to contemplate our need to be more aware of the overwhelming circumstances that we may help to diminish.

A number of these situations are brought to our attention by the media. And in many cases, we are not sure how to help. However, Advent is also a time when we can, in the spirit of John the baptizer, choose to go to the wilderness. Or, we can, like Jesus who after his baptism by John ventured there, allow ourselves be summoned into a wilderness experience for the sake of receiving clarity for our mission.

Either way, the hope is that we will encounter God, and acquire the insight – the knowledge that will inform us of the required action that follows on the heels of our awareness. This is simply another way of prayerfully considering how God can use us to help to make this world a better place for all. The one, whom we are preparing to greet - to welcome, is also preparing us to serve the world he came to save.

In our attempt to come to terms with that, which is required of us, as we position ourselves to behold the glory of God, let us pursue pro-active awareness in our mission for Christ. Remember that Jesus was very clear about his mission when he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” Luke 4:18.  Brian+

Advent 2
Prepare to receive the Savior

During this season of reflection, I invite us to take a moment to think about important events in our lives, and how we treat them. Many if not most of us celebrate the anniversaries of our birth, or marriage, with a party, or dinner with family and friends, a cruise even, or at a gathering of persons who have come together to share our sentiments. In most cases, especially at significant milestones, e.g., beginning at age 50, every five or ten years thereafter, the occasion is a grand affair, and calls for a great deal of planning.

Similarly, when we celebrate 25, 50, or 75 (a stretch) years of marriage. Quite often, we spend several months, sometimes as long as a year organizing the celebration, in an effort to ensure that the party is a success. We do all in our power to not disappoint our guests, spending great sums of money, as we give our guests something to remember. The organizational success of these significant occasions, suggests that we have innate abilities to plan and adequately prepare to stage events that we deem important.

In the same light, as people of God, and disciples of Jesus, we ought also to place the same emphasis on preparing to receive the Savior of the world. Perhaps, this Advent, as we pray, as we worship, as we listen to the still,  small voice, we may with enthusiasm prepare our hearts, our minds, and our every action, to receive Jesus. In the forced busyness of this time of year, as we prepare to attend one function after another, let us also practice the mindfulness of the meaning of all this celebration. The occasion warrants much more than a passing glance at our  spirituality.

We are called to pause intentionally so that we may humbly yet joyfully welcome the Savior under our roofs. We are therefore to do all in our power, as Isaiah warned his people to "make straight in the desert, a highway for our God." Isaiah 40: 3b. Consequently, in our contemplation, we ought also to consider the words of 2 Peter 3:14-15a, "Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation." Brian+

Advent I

         Embrace the Gift of Hopefulness

         The days we currently face are dark, not just physically, but metaphorically as well. We continue to struggle with a faltering economy, with staggering unemployment, an increased inability to meet financial obligations and to keep our families fed and secure, a high rate of homelessness, and far too many persons living in despair. Our nation and the world are experiencing more cities being occupied as forms of protest against the greed of the financial institutions, conglomerates and the wealthy who feed off the average consumer, especially at this time of year.

        The question is, where are we heading? Is it going to get worse? Should we expect it to get better? If so, how and when? What is it that we need to do in order to reverse our regretful situation? Perhaps during this season of Advent, as we enter a period of hopefulness, we can consciously reserve some of our time for reflection. Fortunately for us, we are faced with the opportunity to embrace deep corporate, spiritual engagement as we prepare for the celebration of the Anniversary of the birth of Jesus.

        Advent is a time to practice deliberation, to pause purposefully, to pray, to confess our sins, to contemplate, to communicate with the Creator, and ultimately, to take decisive action about our future. It is not a time to sit and wait, but rather to live into the hope, the expectation of an exciting new birth that will energize us to do - to be, and to participate in a more meaningful existence.

        I bid you then, sisters and brothers in the faith, to corporately hold fast to the prospect of the promise, as articulated by the Apostle Paul who said, "Just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you  - so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you await the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord, Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Cor. 1:6 - 9. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!   Brian+