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As Advent Begins
The season of Advent is here. Advent is about letting God come to us. It’s about actively anticipating God in our lives. We celebrate not only the historical birth of Jesus but the new life the God continually gives to each of us.
How have you entered into this season of Advent? For me, Advent kind of snuck up on me. It is my favorite season and so I’m usually anticipating it, but this year, there is was. I’m not sure how I will more fully enter into the season. I feel like I have a bit of catch-up to do. I think the first thing I will do is go back to the Scripture readings from the First Sunday of Advent and immerse myself in them. I also just came across a Christmas box in storage so I’ll dig around in there for the Advent candles and my mini nativity scene.
Another thing I’m going to do is to sit with the question, “What am I experiencing?” The question was posed on awebsite about Advent from Creighton University’s Online Ministries. The page Beginning Advent suggests that this question is one of the first places to start with Advent.
So, what are we experiencing? That is the first Advent question. If we chew that question, then the Isaiah reading will sound so good to our ears. Are we the people “who walk in darkness” or have “thick clouds” over us? Is the way before us full of valleys and hills? Does it seem like we are in a desert? Are there wild beasts out there who are ready to devour us? Have we been guilty of some things we aren’t proud of? Have we lost touch with who we really want to be? Has our fidelity become a bit shabby? Then, Isaiah proclaims that our God is ready to come and save us. And, none of the things that I see as barriers even matter to God. (Creighton University’s Online Ministries Website)
I encourage you to check out the rest of the website for some very good resources on Advent such as the following:
- Preparing for Advent
- Prayers for each week of Advent
- General Advent Prayers
- Oraciones de adviento en español
- Various Advent Prayers and Retreats in Audio format
So how are you entering into Advent? What are you experiencing?
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{ 6 comments }
Dear Sr Julie,
Perhaps the lesson, at least for me, is always get up and start again. and skip the gloomy part. God always has a hand out to either help us up or walk along with us. Your note has given me cheer in the comfort that all is not lost by starting out on the wrong foot. Without Him, the wrong foot is all we’ve got, anyway.
I cannot begin to tell you what relief this post gave me. I, too, was so looking forward to advent, a perfect beginning, and one to carry through all the way to a glorious end (actually beginning). But it found me with houseguests late to leave, the advent candles absent and although I was all dressed and ready…I didn’t even get to leave in time to go to services! Unfortunately instead of picking up and re-immersing, I fell into a gloomy state. Yesterday, I began again, a day late, but lit my little advent candle, read all the readings from the office, prayed vespers, and prayed compline…standing up so I wouldn’t fall asleep! This actually may be my new way for compline as it was quite successful
Peace,
In religion,
Sr. Julian, CoS
Sister Julian, Thank you for writing. I like what you said, “always get up and start again and skip the gloomy part”. It is a temptation to go gloomy, isn’t it?! I get bummed out when I miss things (through my own omission) that I love like the beginning of Advent. But you are right. The point is not to sit down and despair but to start again. If gloom is necessary, get out a timer and set it for 5 minutes, and then get on with it!
Sisters: so true! Gotta get up and get going again. Sr Julie, I love your idea of setting a timer for gloom…
I actually managed to concentrate in the Advent service on Sunday as my 3 year old daughter and husband were both away, and then we put up our Christmas decorations and Advent wreath that afternoon. Small daughter loves lighting the Advent candle, although I’m looking for candle prayers that are appropriate for a preschooler. Any ideas, anyone?
To Robyn: 23rd publications has some children and family booklets for Advent. I’m not sure how young they aim, but I’m guessing pre-school is about right. Their website is http://www.pastoralplanning.com.
Thanks, as always, for your insights, Sister Julie!
Sister Julie I also love your idea to set the timer for being gloomy!
I have really been seeing the parallels in this Advent season and where I’m at with my vocation. There’s really not much I can do about my vocation right now and yet I want to live that life so badly and I don’t want to wait. But as I’ve been praying about Advent and starting to meditate on the meaning of Advent I’ve really come to realize that I’m in Advent right now, and yes it will be a bit longer then I had thought, but Christmas will come some day. Then I thought “wait a minute, what would Christmas be like with out any Advent? It wouldn’t be nearly as exciting or important if we didn’t have the time of eagerly waiting for it.”
So that’s what I’m going to be thinking and praying about this Advent.
JMJ+
~Betsy
Totus tuus Maria!
The timer idea is fantastic. I once heard of a child who was paralyzed by a car accident and his parents only let him feel sorry for himself for so many minutes a day. When the time was up he had to move on. It was a way for him to still go out and enjoy life, even though it wasn’t the life he initially envisioned. Happy Advent everyone.