Advent: 24th Dec - Building the kingdom with activity and reflection

Picture: A representation of the Mystical Nativity by Sandro Botticelli 

Opening Prayer

The heavens are filled with the glory of God Glory to God in the highest The earth opens its arms in praise Glory to God in the highest The Christ child is come among us Peace on earth, goodwill to all The earth kneels in worship Peace on earth, goodwill to all Let us open our minds Make vulnerable our hearts And spread our hands in welcome Let us acknowledge his kingship Treasure this vision And work to build the kingdom, Amen.

The story continues...

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 'Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.'

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:13-20)

Reflection

The shepherds were amazed, astonished, astounded. Are there words to describe their feelings? Yet everyone who has a part to play in this drama has to plumb the depths and scale the heights of emotion. In this little part of the story we see two very different responses to the Christ child. The shepherds respond with exuberance and activity. Watch them making their way back to the sheep, singing praises to God and calling to all whom they meet, 'Hey, let me tell you what we just saw...' They are doing their part in building the kingdom. They are spreading the word. And Mary, who responds with love and reflection. Her joy runs too deep for exuberant exclamations. Her wonderment does not find easy expression but is considered deeply and long in the silence of her heart. She too builds the kingdom, but her role is both more central and less public.

Exercise

When you think about building the kingdom here on earth, what comes to mind? In what ways do you share in this? Are these the only ways? Do you need to say less and do more? Or do less and say more? Or, like Mary, reflect, ponder and pray.

Jane Denniston

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Advent: 23rd Dec - And you will know him

Picture: Domenico Ghirlandaio's Adoration of the Shepherds (detail) 

The story continues...

This very day in King David’s home town a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay. Luke 2 11-12

Reflection

A Saviour was born for you. And you will know him. The CEV* has 'a baby in baby clothes', because strips of cloth or swaddling clothes meant to the shepherds just that – baby clothes. You will find an ordinary baby in a little town, born to your kind of people, something you would see every day - though most babies are not announced by angels! God comes to the ordinary and everyday things and blesses them with His presence. Christmas to me is about God touching, inhabiting the earth he created and giving it new hope, reminding it of its sacredness. This takes me to Saint Francis and the Sow by Galway Kinnell:

as Saint Francis
put his hand on the creased forehead
of the sow, and told her in words and in touch
blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow
began remembering all down her thick length,
from the earthen snout all the way
through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of the tail,
from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine
down through the great broken heart
to the sheer blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering
from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking and blowing beneath them:
the long, perfect loveliness of sow.

There is something about this story of the shepherds sent to see a 'baby in baby clothes'. A very ordinary sight. Although Jesus is obviously quite beyond us, is 'other' than us (note the angels), I believe when we encounter him we somehow know him. He is recognisable to us.

Action

You may like to play the prayer again and consider that Jesus continues comes to each of us in our day, in often seemingly ordinary ways.

Kirsty Hook

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* CEV Contemporary English Version

Advent: 22nd Dec - The bigger, brighter story

Gaddi Taddeo, Announcement

The story continues...

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:8-10)

Reflection

The sudden splash of fear, as yet unaware that good news is pending. What awaits us may actually bring joy. For those of us who anticipate the worst, eyes flitting from side to side ever alert, here is a reminder to lift our heads and not fear. There is a bigger, brighter story. We are invited to re-imagine our futures/lives in light of good news; to think in new ways, to expect something large.

Think in ways you've never thought before.
If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message
Larger than anything you've ever heard,
Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats.

When someone knocks on the door, think that he's about
To give you something large: tell you you're forgiven,
Or that it's not necessary to work all the time,
Or that it's been decided that if you lie down no one will die.
Robert Bly, Things to think

Action

The door bell rings. Jesus comes to the door? What are you offered? Forgiveness? Hope? What do you want? What do you really, really want?

Andrew Hook

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Advent: 21st Dec - The humility of God

Picture by Caravaggio

The story continues...

'While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them at the inn'. Luke 2:6-7

Reflection

God slips into the human family barely noticed, creator of sun, moon and stars, born, held, comforted, changed and fed. This is the greatest mystery. This is the breathtaking humility of God, the God who risks being rejected, ignored and despised, coming in poverty and disgrace, born in an animal shed to unmarried refugee parents. What kind of God is this?

Exercise

If you can, become still and quiet, close your eyes and imagine you are in the stable in Bethlehem, with all its smells and sounds, the texture of the straw, the cold air. Let events unfold in your imagination. When you are ready end the time with silent or spoken thanksgiving. The darkest time in the year, The poorest place in town, Cold, and a taste of fear, Man and woman alone. What can we hope for here? More light than we can learn, More wealth than we can treasure, More love than we can earn, More peace than we can measure, Because one child is born. Michael Mayne

A blessing you may want to say aloud...

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in me. Attributed to St Patrick

Jane Edwards

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Advent 20th Dec - Gifts and a new kinship

Image: Pablo Picasso, La Soupe 

The story continues...

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. Luke 2: 1-5

Reflection

It was Jesus’ ancestry that qualified him to be the messiah, for he was a descendant of King David. This was a gift his ancestors gave him. Jesus both accepts his heritage and is open to a new kind of kinship with those who do the will of his heavenly father. We all have ancestors, people who came before us and whose lives have influenced our lives, perhaps in many ways we are not aware of.

Action

Bring to mind particular gifts that you have been given by previous generations of your family or other older people whom you have known – not necessarily objects, perhaps personal qualities, time together or shared experiences? Give thanks for these. Now picture people who are your descendants or young people whom you know, people whose lives you are involved with...whatgifts may you be being called to offer them?

Closing blessing

You may want to bless those who have gone before you and those who are coming after you by saying this ancient Hebrew blessing to them in your imagination.. The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen Numbers 6:24-26

Jane Edwards

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Advent 19th Dec: Three extraordinary meetings No 3

Visitation, Macha Chmakoff

Three: Mary visits Elizabeth

Over successive Mondays in advent I will look at extraordinary meetings involving Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and some angels. And in these, as the first advent reflection on 24th November said, we shall see that all of life is indeed intrinsically and intricately bound up with the ever-present God/man Jesus as we see in the stories of these three very ordinary and unremarkable people how heaven and earth are becoming joined as one in human hearts.

Opening prayer

May I, with Mary and Elizabeth, see the divine image in those that I meet. May I recognise the work of heaven on earth. May I boldly in the midst of the ordinary be prepared to meet the extraordinary and rejoice in it, though it be beyond my understanding or control.

The story unfolds

Luke 1:39-45: Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and travelled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true! And Mary said...Luke 1:46-56

Reflection

How extraordinary for Elizabeth. Her cousin arrives unexpectedly and suddenly the baby in her womb starts turning cartwheels. And she bursts into a stream of ecstatic prophesy. What had she been doing a couple of minutes before? Washing the dishes? Making bread? Chatting to a neighbour? And suddenly heaven breaks into her day and upends everything. And it is as though nothing else exists but the joy she feels at what is before her.

Exercise

Again, find somewhere quiet for a few minutes and read this story then leave the words behind and let the story play out in your imagination. Be Elizabeth or Mary or someone who happened to be walking down the street when this encounter took place. What do you see? What feelings does this evoke? Is there anything you want to say to God – or someone else – because of this?

Gus MacLeod

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Advent: 18th Dec - God’s sunrise will break in upon us

Photograph by Mags Bryan

'In the Celtic traditions redemption is about light being liberated from the heart of creation and from the essence of who we are. It has not been overcome by darkness. Rather the light is held in terrible bondages within us waiting to be set free.' Philip Newell

Opening Prayer

Christ, You who are the Light of the World, Help us to radiate the warmth of your presence. Enable us to give of ourselves generously and compassionately In bringing joy, peace, and hope to others.

The Story continues...

Luke 1: 67-75 then... And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest," will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways, Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins. Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace. The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel. Luke 1:76-80

Reflection

God’s heartfelt mercy is to make it possible for light and peace to break into our darkness. We are not suddenly lifted out of the darkness and dropped into light but if we choose to notice, hear or see, we will be, on a daily basis, shown the path of peace and light in the midst of darkness.

Exercise

• Have you experienced the 'path of peace' today? Then perhaps you could share that with someone.
• Perhaps you feel that you are sitting in the shadows of darkness? You may want to light a tea light and invite the light of the world to accompany you at this time.
• Jesus, who is our peace, (Ephes. 2:14) You might want to take the opportunity to be still and give thanks for peace in a particular situation.

Closing Blessing

May the light of God’s presence bathe you in love and grace. May the peace of God’s presence calm the fears and concerns of the day. And may you know the comfort of God’s presence in all your coming and going this day. Amen

Mags Bryan

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Advent: 17th Dec - Fettered and free

Image: Free bubbles, D Sharon Pruitt

Opening Prayer

He speaks, and listening to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe. Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, your loosened tongues employ; ye blind, behold your saviour come, and leap, ye lame, for joy. Charles Wesley May we too, open ourselves up to the healing, freeing, redeeming love Of the Christ Child this Christmas.

The story continues...

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, 'No; he is to be called John.' They said to her, 'None of your relatives has this name.' Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, 'What then will this child become?' For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. Luke 1: 57 -66

Reflection

The result of Zechariah’s unbelief was a nine month imposed silence, prisoner in his thoughts. His sentence, self-imposed, in a sense, came to an end when he acknowledged the will of God and named his son John, which means “gift of God”. How often do we imprison ourselves because we are afraid to trust God? In what ways have we forged fetters that prevent us from living the life God wants us to lead, that life abundant that was promised us. One of the interesting things about the characters in this story is how often they are fearful, doubtful, in spite of living righteous lives. They do not feel they have earned the right to God’s favour. Yet God works with and through their fear to accomplish his purposes.

Exercise

Think of any negative emotions you carry that are binding you to a place where you do not want to be. Picture the baby Jesus in the manger. Make him a gift of the negativity you hold in your heart. Release it to him, consent to his will, and be free to live in his promise.

Jane Denniston

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Advent: 16th Dec - Remember this is our God

Image: Magnificat, catholicwebphilosopher.com 

The story continues...

The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud. He drags strong rulers from their thrones and puts humble people in places of power. God gives the hungry good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing. He helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people. The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family forever! Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home. (Luke 1 51-56)

Reflection

We would do well to remember that this is our God. He confronts the powerful, he recognises the humble. He looks after the poor and he doesn’t have much time for the rich. What does this mean? Do we never see strong cruel rulers on their thrones, do we ever see people go hungry? Sadly we do. Instead I rather wonder if these verses imply that this is the nature of God and if it is in his nature should it not also be ours?

Action

Is God asking anything specific of you today? To do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with your God perhaps? Micah 6:8

Kirsty Hook

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Advent 15th Dec: Prayer as loving attentiveness

Image: The Visitation, Rueland Frueauf the Elder, detail Press PLAY to hear a blessing read by Cameron Hook

The story continues...

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:46-50)

Reflection

A novelist has described prayer as loving attentiveness, such a beautiful and care-ful phrase. Mothers and fathers, friends and lovers may express these qualities. I take this mindfulness to be mutual. A trio of words from this reading stands out for me: rejoice – mindful – humble. They suggest the possibility of being happy simply because God is mindful of us, that She is attentive and leans towards me. There are some people who seem to be so interested in what you say that you feel bright and big – maybe someone comes to mind even as you read this. Might God be like that, in fact even more so, and genuinely so?

Exercise

How does it feel to imagine God as ever attentive, ever present like the sun but also onrushing like a series of waves? Take a few minutes to reflect on this. Try to spend the day with such pictures or walk through your day attentive to this One who is so intently interested in you.

Closing prayer

I am in God’s loving gaze, God creating me one moment at a time.

Andrew Hook

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Advent 14th Dec: Sharing life

The Story continues...

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true! (Luke 1:41-45)

Reflection

Two mums to be meet and are blessed, blessed to hear each others good news, are blessed to be carrying the life within, blessed in their relationship with each other. The strong connection between these two woman and their sons, will impact the world and announce God’s greatest story.

Exercise

Take a moment to consider how you feel when you receive a blessing. Who in your life at the moment is a blessing? Have you recently had an opportunity to be a blessing to others?

Closing blessing

May the blessings of light be upon you. Light without and light within, And in all your comings and goings, May you ever have a kindly greeting From them you meet along the road. Celtic blessing

Mags Bryan

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Advent: 13th Dec - An embodied sense of presence and belonging

The story continues...

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-41) And 'Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?' (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Reflection

This scene of Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit may well be up there with Jesus’s baptism, Pentecost and Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit on to his disciples; each are physical and visual. They indicate a significant moment, one that marks some watershed in a story. Such filling is frequently surprising, always gracious – Elizabeth did nothing here, neither did Jesus at his baptism nor the disciples when exhaled upon! The filling with the Spirit energises us for the unique journey ahead of us. We are woken up with the reminder that we are greater than dust, more than particles. The baby moving in Elizabeth’s womb, her being filled with the Spirit and the Spirit moving in me - often at surprising moments - reminds us that God’s presence belongs within me and is no foreign object. This is the message and reminder of Christmas, underlined with a momentous birth that's just over the horizon.

Action

Recall a moment of being moved by God, filled with the Spirit. What did that signify, teach or remind you?

Andrew Hook

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Advent 12th Dec: Three extraordinary meetings No 2

Anunciation, He Qi (www.heqigallery.com/index.html)

Two: Mary is visited by an angel

Over successive Mondays in advent I will look at extraordinary meetings involving Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and some angels. And in these, as the first advent reflection on 24th November said, we shall see that all of life is indeed intrinsically and intricately bound up with the ever-present God/man Jesus as we see in the stories of these three very ordinary and unremarkable people how heaven and earth are becoming joined as one in human hearts.

Opening prayer

May I, with Mary, hold my astonishment at the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. May I know that heaven and earth meet every day and that the ordinary is indeed extraordinary.

The story unfolds

Read Luke 1:26-38 ending with... And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her.

Reflection

Like Joseph, Mary - surely utterly bewildered at this astonishing turn of events - faces disgrace. Joseph is within has rights to get rid of her as she is pregnant and not by him. And yet, like Joseph, she instinctively does the best thing she can: holds the space and goes with what is happening. And with great calmness and presence, proclaims the immemorial words of presentness and given-ness – “let it be with me just as you say”.

Exercise

Find a still and quiet place and read the story of Mary’s encounter with the angel. And in your imagination, let that story play out as if your are in it. Are you observing? Or are you Mary? Are you the angel? What do you see and feel? What moves you and challenges you? What changes as you see the scene unfold?

Gus MacLeod

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Advent: 11th Dec - A passionate belief in youth

Image: Young and old, mikesjournal.com

The story continues...

‘Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. Nothing is impossible for God!’ Mary said, ‘I am the Lord’s servant! Let it happen as you have said.’ And the angel left her. (Luke 1: 36-38)

Reflection

Few people respond as Mary does. Even after seeing angels many of us would still question God. I don’t judge Zechariah for doubting or questioning. A man who has seen much of life and known disappointment and remained so faithful to God does not deserve my criticism. However Mary’s simple response does touch me deeply. Perhaps this is the simplicity of youth, immediate, passionate, and believing. My children’s recently retired head teacher commanded great respect and devotion from the children of his school. What struck me about him was his passionate belief in youth. He would not let anyone belittle young people. He reminded me of Paul writing to his young friend Timothy saying don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.

Action

What was/is your favourite childhood story? Remind yourself of why you loved it. You might even want to read it again.

Kirsty Hook

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Advent 10th Dec: Change and comfort

The annunciation, James Tissot

Change is all around us and can be an enemy or a friend. Mary’s courage is an example and a challenge to us all. But we do not walk through changing circumstances alone.

Opening Prayer

Thanks to thee, 0 God, that I have risen to-day, To the rising of this life itself; May it be to Thine own glory, 0 God of every gift, And to the glory of my soul likewise. 0 great God, aid Thou my soul With the aiding of Thine own mercy ; Even as I clothe my body with wool, Cover Thou my soul with the shadow of Thy wing. Help me to avoid every sin, And the source of every sin to forsake ; And as the mist scatters on the crest of the hills, May each ill haze clear from my soul, 0 God. (From the Carmina Gadelica)

The story continues...

Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I am a virgin?' The angel said to her, '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 holy; he will be called Son of God.' (Luke 1: 34 - 35)

Reflection

The word "overshadow" can have negative connotations; the sun blocked out, cold air and darkness, perhaps a sense of being overwhelmed, and the "valley of the shadow of death". Yet the psalmist also refers to being in "the shadow of your wing" frequently, and in a very different sense, representing comfort and protection. What might the word have meant for Mary as she contemplated the angel’s message? There must have been apprehension, but perhaps comfort also as she realised that God would be with her in the time to come which she would realise was going to be difficult and onerous. God’s call on her life, however, includes a commitment to comfort and strengthen her as she walks with him and he covers her with the shadow of his wing.

Exercise

Think of a situation you are in which is proving difficult or burdensome. Picture the wings of God spread over you in shelter and comfort, like loving arms. What would you like to say to God, and what does he say to you? Can you walk forward under the protection of God?     

Jane Denniston

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Advent: 9th Dec - A wild promise

Image from riqkhan.wordpress

The story continues

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.' Luke 1:29 -33

Reflection

Mary was confused by the angel’s words and wondered what they meant. Then the angel told Mary, 'Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus, He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. He will rule the people of Israel for ever, and his kingdom will never end.' Wow, what a line! His kingdom will never end! I wonder if Mary was more or less confused after the angel spoke again. Maybe even more, but I expect she was comforted too. We all need to hear 'don't be afraid' or 'God is pleased' with you at times. I wonder if you have ever had good news. Heard an exciting promise? Imagine hearing 'you will get a puppy for Christmas' or ‘we are going to Disneyland'. Imagine how Mary felt, a young peasant girl – your son will be a king, not just any king but the greatest king of all. I wonder if God chose such a young person because somehow children and young people believe in exciting things, wilder things more easily. Maybe an older person would have said – I don’t think so, or I imagine he really means a very good carpenter!

Action

Imagine God says to you 'don't be afraid' or 'I am pleased with you'. Many people are asking you just now 'What do I want for Christmas?' Here’s a new question to ask your self 'What might God want to give me just now?' Close your eyes imagine God is standing before you, he asks you to stretch out your hands, and he takes something from his pocket to and places it in your hands. What does he give you? Kirsty Hook

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Advent 8th Dec: Closer than breath

Image: Lorenzo Costa, Annunciation

Jesus is called Emmanuel, God with us. A central theme of the Bible is of God coming ever closer to us, to ripen our experience of being human and reignite a deep memory and sense of our union with him.

The story continues...

The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)

Reflection

In what way is He with us? What’s on God’s mind? God is as close, if not closer, than the very breath we breathe. Can we say he is in our shoes, in our skin, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, at desk, by day, at sink, by night? The sense of scripture is that God is close and is for us.

Exercise

Imagine Jesus sits down with you and he says these very words to you "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Recall these words, let them roll around your head. Allow these words to be felt and heard inside yourself, within your body rising up within you. Express any desires that have emerged from you.*

Andrew Hook

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*A way of being with scripture called Lectio Divina: Lectio (read/recall), Meditatio (mull), Oratio (express)

Advent 7th Dec: Changing landscape

Image: Mary mother of Jesus, Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato 

The story continues...

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26,27)

Reflection

In God’s specific timing an angel is sent to a young virgin from Nazareth. God had confidence in her, that there would be a ‘holding place’ in her faith, to receive this angelic visitation and trusted she would respond in obedience. We get a glimpse into the landscape of her life and surrounding circumstances. And the final statement 'the virgin's name was Mary' somehow heralds an assurance that at some deeper level, she would be a receptacle for a ‘bigger story'. Mary in the shifting landscape of her life was able to be still in the presence of God trusting that all would be well.

Exercise

When you read today’s scripture what stands out for you? At this busy time of the year, are we able to be in a still place to notice God coming? If not what would help us find that still place? Who is the God that we hold onto in a time of changing landscape?

Closing blessing

May we know a tangible stillness beyond any words in our deepest being. May we, like Mary, find the grace to notice and receive God’s coming this day. And may we have the generosity of heart, to follow God’s leading into a new and self giving landscape.

 Mags Bryan

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Advent 6th Dec: Charades

Press Play for an Opening and Closing 

The story continues…

And he (John the Baptist) will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time. "Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn’t speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people. When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. "So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.(Luke 1:17-25)

Reflection

Here is one of the Bible's more comical moments. We're left to imagine for ourselves what body movements and facial gestures Zechariah conjured up. Maybe he swung his arms in an arc or puffed out his cheeks to portray the angel's size and touched his lips with a finger and forced his eyes wide to show in amazement. I suppose over time the memory of Zechariah's attempts at Charades was dwarfed by the impact of the prolonged silence and the awe surrounding Elizabeth's pregnancy. I wonder what it felt like to not speak in company for 9 months, or to Elizabeth his wife. I wonder about the mix of feeling excluded but also more aware of and attentive to others' non-verbal signals.

Exercise

Try to eat a meal in company without speaking. What did you notice?

Andrew Hook

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Advent 5th Dec: Three extraordinary meetings No. 1

One: Joseph has a dream

Over successive Mondays in advent I will look at extraordinary meetings involving Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and some angels. And in these, as the first advent reflection on 24th November said, we shall see that all of life is indeed intrinsically and intricately bound up with the ever-present God/man Jesus as we see in the stories of these three very ordinary and unremarkable people how heaven and earth are becoming joined as one in human hearts.

Opening prayer

May I, with Joseph, know when to lay aside my own figuring out and trust in One who is much greater and who knows the beginning from the end.

The story unfolds

The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus - 'God saves' -because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this - a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus. (Matthew 1: 18-25)

Reflection

Joseph is in a terrible position. 'Chagrined but noble' doesn’t quite capture it. This situation is shame and disgrace all round. This should not have happened. Good-hearted though he is, Joseph must act within what is expected of him in his society. And out of the blue he meets an angel in a dream who says it’s all OK, go ahead with the wedding. The first astonishing intervention of heaven into earth in what will be Jesus’ family and Joseph doesn’t miss a beat but sees a much bigger picture than the dictates of his own society.

Exercise

Think about what it would be like to be in Joseph’s position of facing shame and disgrace and having God speak in a dramatic way that cuts across all your expectations and conventions. What would that feel like? How might you react?

 Gus MacLeod

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