Immersed into joy

What we choose to fight is so tiny!
What fights us is so great!
If only we would let ourselves be dominated
as things do by some immense storm,
we would become strong too, and not need names.
The man watching, Rilke

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)

Gaddi Taddeo, Announcement to the shepherds

Gaddi Taddeo, Announcement to the shepherds

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, our very lives, in light of good news; to think in new ways, to expect something large.

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

Questions

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

What might Jesus radiate? Light perhaps as the angels did. An immersion into joy perhaps - is that so surprising? Allow yourself to feel that warm light on your face.

Andrew Hook



The practise of starting again

Make ready for the Face that speaks like lightning,
uttering the new name of your exultation
deep in the vitals of your soul.
Make ready for the Christ, whose smile, like lightning,
sets free the song of everlasting glory
that now sleeps in your paper flesh, like dynamite.

A book of hours, Thomas Merton. Edited by Kathleen Deignan

Elizabeth and Zacharias, Stanley Spencer (wikiart.org)

Elizabeth and Zacharias, Stanley Spencer (wikiart.org)

For the people of the advent narrative what they were about to experience was a new start. For some this was welcome, for others maybe it was not. For some it was water on parched ground.

Many things were rolled up into one tumultuous storm of surprising speeches and actions: a Face appears, song and dreams wake up and regenerate the soul.

And in Zechariah and Elizabeth's cases fear takes a grip, a mouth falls mute and disgrace is dismissed.

Questions:
Is there an area in your life where starting again is a refreshing thought?

Is there an action or symbolic gesture that would help to kick start this?

The art of waiting

The wait's begun again,
the long wait for the angel
for that rare, random descent.
Black Rook in Rainy Weather, Sylvia Plath

Reading Luke 1: 26-56

Ke Atlas, unsplash.com

Ke Atlas, unsplash.com

Jesus comes in our waiting

Waiting is not terribly attractive to most of us. There is anticipation and savour. 'The Holy Spirit will come on you...At that time Mary got ready'. (Luke 1: 35, 39) There is also boredom, impatience and doubt. Will I be overlooked?

There's no biblical record of further surprising angelic visitations to Mary. I wonder if the temptation was to live for it, will it, especially after her Son departed. It begs the question, How do I live after a momentous experience? Maybe she took it for what it was - a gift, and an invitation to follow a heart that has just started to beat that much faster.

Like much of Israel Mary will have waited for the Messiah. They had waited a long time, fervently at times, spasmodically at others. Can you name what you are waiting for? Am I internally ready for some descent, even if it tarries and feels as if it is rare and random?