Advent: We Walk in Hope

 

As Advent 2020 begins we may scoff at the idea of walking in hope. This has been a trying and difficult year and we do not have a sense of how Christmas will unfold or how the new year will begin. It is easy to lose sight of hope in the midst of this pandemic. Yet as followers of Jesus Christ hope is part of our DNA, it is written in fine print on our calling cards, it is the assurance that our God is with us – always, no matter what or when.

As we begin this short and sacred season, let us turn our attention to this hope. As we prepare our homes and our hearts during this season, let us seek hope in each day. The psalm for the First Sunday of Advent is Psalm 80 and it declares “Restore us, O God; let your face shine that we may be saved.” This is the gift of hope which is ours. It is the restoring hope of our God with us amid the tiredness of this year, the tasks at hand, the desire for specials moments in the season, the lifting up of a prayer and the reaching out to those struggling or hurting. It is the awareness that hope is not selfish, rather it calls us into relationship with God and others.

As this Advent begins and we long for the joy of Christmas to fill us, especially this year, let us linger in the hope of this season found in the message of an angel, in the carols we sing, in the quiet moments of prayer (even if only for two minutes while washing our hands again) and in the invitation to “Keep Alert. Keep Awake” (Matthew 13.33-37). Let us keep alert and keep awake for hope has away to sneak in to speak new truths and restore us, so that we too may shine like the face of God.

Week One of Advent is often called the Week of Hope, may this first week of the New Year (Liturgical) inspire you to set new goals, resolutions and restore your hope. Where do you need to incorporate Hope as we begin this New Year? The journey may feel long but it is always worth it.      

 

In this season

we welcome sacred darkness

we also welcome patient light.

 

In this season

we prepare our heart and our home

and yet we are called to wait.

 

In this season

ancient carols and traditions find their place

inviting us into birthing newness.

 

In this season

our imagination is stirred

so are our prayers.

 

In this season

the rushing about here and there can hinder us

yet the gift of stillness always offers invitation.

 

In this season

we place our hope in the steadfast love of our God

who has come to us, is with us and will come again.

 

In this season

we are called to stand in awe and wonder

do we allow ourselves this gift?

 

Welcome Sister Advent!

Awaken us to your true gifts

as we walk in hope!

 

Artwork: Claire Ziprick

 

 

The Kingdom of Christ

It’s the end

it’s the beginning

it’s now

it’s not yet

it’s life

it’s death

it’s light

it’s darkness

it’s a part

it’s a whole.

 

The journey of faith is a both-and experience. We continually encounter God in a variety of ways and God continually meets us where we are at. God invites us deeper into union with Divine Love. This ide of both-and is taught in theology and it crossed my mind as we celebrate Christ the King Sunday this weekend and move into the end of the Liturgical Year. It crossed my mind because we honor Christ the King this weekend but not with golden crowns rather with putting love into action. The opposites mentioned above as places where Christ our King meets us in this journey of faith, also remind us that the kingdom is within, is here and is still to come.

Considering Christ as our King should not leave us with images of golden crowns and orders being given. It should instead call us to service, challenge us to wash the feet of others and awaken us to how we are living the Golden Rule. The gospel for Christ the King Sunday is Matthew 25 with the image of the sheep and goats and the kingdom. God invites us to encounter Christ the King by giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and visiting those imprisoned (see last week’s prayer for ideas of how real this is for us today). We encounter Christ the King here on the throne of human reality and in human suffering. He who gave his all, in love, for love of all says to us “I am here among you, the poor king, born in a lowly manger and still dwelling among the least.”

The challenge for us is to not turn our actions into gold stars, golden crowns and awards ceremony moments where we recognize our kingly moments rather, we are to humbly be like Christ our King. To serve with love in the beginnings, ends, light and darkness, partial and whole moments of life. “Christ the first fruits” (1 Corinthians 15) desires us to be one with him in the kingdom. The kingdom calls us to action, not footstools and servants at our beck and call. Let us rise up to the challenge. Where in our part of the kingdom does hospitality, care, outreach, genuine service, kindness and prayer need to be exemplified? The trying times we are currently living in are calling us to creatively be the kingdom… let us rise up to occasion honouring our gentle king, our shepherd king, our generous king, our loving king by recognizing him in our neighbourhood and communities.

As we move into this last week of the Liturgical Year, I think it calls us to look back on what has been, what has not been and how we have walked humbly with our God. Let us reflect on where our heart has called us to be and what our heart is calling us to let go of again. Let us look ahead with hope and openness seeking paths that our enroute to the kingdom transformed here and awakening us to life-giving love today, tomorrow and always.

 

Christ our King,

we give you thanks and praise and honor,

you who are love in fullness,

you call us to love each day:

Love of God,

love of neighbour,

love of self.

May this holy love

which is you

penetrating our living

and amplifying our hearts

open our eyes, ears, hearts and hands

to those we journey with here and now

no matter what and no matter who they are,

for your kingdom is of peace and welcome,

where we will be one

and where we will raise our voices

in thanks, praise and honour of you,

who dwells with us as our King for ever and ever. 

Amen.

Actions of Solidarity: A Prayer for the Poor

 

 “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”  Matthew 25.37-40

 

On this World Day of the Poor (33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time) we must raise our voices in prayer for the poor of our country and world. Our prayer then must become action and not simply empty words. As you will see below, we have work to do. 

We begin again with a prayer for the poor.

For the homeless poor,

for the approximately 235,000 Canadians a year who are homeless

of which 20% is young people between the ages of 16 and 24,

and 14% are children.

For the hungry poor,

for the 4.4 million Canadians who are food insecure,

which is 12% of our population,

of which 1.2 million are children.

 

For the thirsty poor,

for the communities (most being First Nations) that deal with water advisories every day,

which is 73% of First Nations communities

of which 5000 people are affected daily.

 

For the naked poor,

for those who can not afford to buy clothing,

which for many find their dry socks and shoes in donation bins,

of which countless are children living shelter insecure.

 

For the stranger poor,

for the 50 million children around the world who have become refugees or migrants

which would equal about three quarters of Canada’s population

of which all are seeking a safe and happy life.

 

For the imprisoned poor,

for those wrong imprisoned, for those imprisoned because of lack of mental health supports

which by the age of 40, about 50% of the Canadian population will have experienced mental illness

of which suicide is the leading cause of death.

 

 

God,

you who loves all your children,

you call us to the commandment of love

which means we must look beyond ourselves.

 

May our prayers shift from our wants and wishes

to be prayers for courage and vision

on how to be in solidarity with the poor

and show them love in action,

so as to see them for the person they are

and the dignity they deserve.

 

Creator of all,

we are struggling to be sisters and brothers,

our blinders are on too tight

and we are afraid to take them off.

May we with courage remove them

and extend a hand

so that our prayers become actions

and our actions are not simply charity cases

but the beginning of relationship

to strengthen the gift and bond of the human family.

 

Amen.

 

 

Keep Awake

Here we are launched into November with lesser daylight and colder weather enfolding us. I find this month often calls us to settle in, to listen differently, to take stock of what we know has been and how we want to step into the final weeks of the year. The scripture for this weekend encourages this settling into our heart, listening and taking stock.

The 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (which is this Sunday, November 8) scripture presents us with the reminder of the gift of wisdom (Wisdom 6.12-16), and seeking true wisdom. Psalm 63 also calls to our attention our yearning for truth, as our body and soul thirsts for union with God. In gospel we are reminded to keep awake. To be attentive to God coming to us in the everyday (so as to prepare our hearts for the feasts that linger not to far off). Let us with the wise bridesmaids of the parable (Matthew 25.1-13) keep awake – be attentive – listen closely for the God moments that will unfold in the week ahead. They may come at odd hours or at inopportune moments but they will have a message for us and our heart, all we need to do is keep awake or maybe be reawakened to our God with us.

 

Keep Awake

Keep Awake

the reminder comes

as days grow shorter

Keep awake

with the eye of the heart

and the depth of the soul

 

Keep awake

allow wisdom to whisper

be attentive to hope

 

Keep awake

“wisdom is radiant and unfading”*

let us be like the wise bridesmaids

 

Keep awake

wisdom quenches the thirsty soul

nourishing also the tired body

 

Keep awake

not with worldly knowledge alone

attune the heart to deep truth

 

Keep awake

let thirsting be for fullness

aware of God’s steadfast love always

 

Keep awake

let praise be on your lips

let your eyes be lifted up

 

Keep awake

in the mundane of the day

while the mind races and the heart waits

 

Keep awake

the feast is plentiful

all are welcomed

 

Keep awake

listen, be still, listen

wisdom comes to an open heart

 

Keep awake

ponder the closeness of our God

consider God’s very breath in yours

 

Keep awake

whether morning, noon or night

our God comes to us

 

Keep awake

glimpses of the divine are all around

God’s deep care everyday

 

Keep awake

oh, thirsting soul

for the day, the hour is now

 

Keep awake

for the day, the hour

is here and again

 

Keep awake

Keep awake

Keep Awake.

 

*Wisdom 6.12