Blessing of the Advent Wreath • Prayer at the Family/School Wreath • First Sunday of Advent • Second Sunday of Advent • Third & Fourth Sundays of Advent

Happy Christmas to all visitors!

Christmas images from St Patrick's Church, Trim:

 

Exploring Advent through the Gospels and art.

Resources for Parish Prayer Groups, Lection Divina or for exploration with school pupils.

Third ("Lætare") & Fourth Sundays of Advent 2009

The Visitation, Lady Chapel, Church of St Thomas, Salisbury

The birth of any child changes the dynamic in a family. Preparations are made in the weeks ahead of a birth and all wait on standby for the text message with details of the baby's weight and name! As a parish community, we might have our preferred Christmas Mass at which we will gather with family to pray at the Crib and receive the Lord in Holy Communion.

In the meantime, we take time to reflect on the joy of waiting...
Every family has seen the joy and delight on the faces of parents and grandparents when the first child is born in a new generation. This joy is something which spreads through our conversations, our smiles, our preparations...

John the Baptist's mother knew such joy as she carried her child. The Gospels always mention that "her days of girlhood were over" so these nine months are seen as a priveleged time of blessing from God. Friends whom she might have helped in the past now come and offer advice and help and so that they can share in Elizabeth's joy of waiting for the birth of her child.

When Mary comes to visit her cousin, the unborn child in her womb leaps to acknowledge the unborn child Jesus. So even from his mother's womb, John the Baptist was pointing towards Jesus as a source of joy and peace.

Excitement, anticipation and joy all reach their perfect expression when a baby has been born. This sense of "joy" and "happiness" features in twelve expressions "joy, rejoice..." through the Liturgy of the Word.

The rose-coloured candle which is lit this week reminds us of the happiness which is coming to Bethlehem.

...In many medieval carvings, John is depicted pointing us towards the Lamb of God. At Notre Dame in Paris, he is depicted wearing a rough cloak and holding the Lamb of God.

At every Mass, we hear John's words "This is the Lamb of God..." His words invite us to encounter Jesus in the moment of Holy Communion.

As a community, we wait in joyful hope during Advent as we do at every Mass:

"Deliver us, Lord, from every evil; grant us peace in our day.
In your mercy, keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety
as we wait in joyful hope, for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ."

This prayer sums up the theme of the third Sunday of Advent and gives us a valuable occasion to reflect on John the Baptist as the signpost who - before he was born, during his life and still today - reminds us always to put our faith in Jesus Christ.

Many parishes throughout the diocese provide time of prayer, reflection and celebration of the Sacrament of Penance at this time of year. Parents and godparents can provide their children with good example and a time of gentle focus on renewal at this time of year.

The attitude of Mary towards her cousin Elizabeth shows us that "there is nothing more powerful in the world than gentleness". May the powerful witness of Mary, the unborn John the Baptist open our hearts and minds to the power of God at work in our lives.

As we celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation and prepare to receive Holy Communion this Christmas, may we be more and more in tune with God's gentleness at work in our lives.

Second Sunday of Advent 2009

"A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord."

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Preaching of John the Baptist by Domenico Ghirlandaio

Pope Benedict writes that

“the ‘voice’ of the great prophet calls upon us to prepare the path of the Lord, which in today’s desert-like inner life and outer world is losing its life-giving water that is Christ.
John urged his listeners towards conversion and called on the people of Israel to repent of their sins and correct every iniquity."

As these December days continue to get shorter and darker, many items in the news may cause us anxiety, disappointment and worry. As Christian communities we need to hear John's words pointing us towards a deep relationship with Jesus as the only source of our joy and fulfilment.

Yes, our world, our parishes, our broken communites have greater need of the message of Jesus. No signposts are to be seen in the wilderness or the desert. What guides the traveller are the well-travelled paths which others have walked. This is the case for refugees in Central Africa or displaced people in war-torn countries.

As followers of Jesus, we travel the well-worn path of Advent knowing that we do not travel alone. Our footprints make a journey which our ancestors have made at different times in penance, prayer or on pilgrimage. We won't see signposts on this journey. Instead, like a person lost in the wilderness, we have a sense of relief as we see others ahead of us, beside us or behind us on the same journey.

In all our planning for feasting, have we considered some fasting and some penance...time for confession in the parish or while shopping in the city?

Some wildernesses cannot be mapped out - a childhood damaged by painful memories ... a sudden bereavement ... an addiction ... a community coping with a difficult year ... prison ...

Christian care and compassion are needed in the flooded housing-estate, farms lacking fodder, unoccupied office-blocks or the demands put on St Vincent de Paul this year.

Today's letter to the people of Philippi has a blessing for us all: "that your love for each other may increast more and more and never stop improving your knowledge ... so that you can always recognise what is best."

This week, remember a parishioner who feels isolated and who might value a prayer, card or visit. Your voice might help them prepare the way for the Lord in a surprising act of kindness this Advent!

Allow yourself some time of silence so that you can hear the voice of the Lord challenging to you become "pure and blameless, and prepare you for the Day of Christ."

higher resolution images of John the Baptist available above by clicking on the two small images

 

 

First Sunday of Advent 2009

"Stay awake praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen,
and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man."

Portal of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

A visitor to Notre-Dame in Paris meets the scene in today's Gospel at the main door of the Cathedral. Christ in glory is surrounded by the angels while St Michael and Lucifer weigh the lives of the dead in the scales. The righteous are depicted standing looking confidently towards Christ. They see him face to face whereas others are being herded away with their faces downcast.

The coming of the Son of Man is a theme which is used on many carvings on medieval cathedrals. Michelangelo's famous "Last Judgement" in the Sistine Chapel is another representation of this Gospel.

At the start of a new year of the Church, we might consider a resolution for the journey of Advent. We hope one day to stand "with confidence before the Son of Man".

Jeremiah and St Paul provide us with suggestions of how our behaviour can shape our life in eternity and with a theme for a good resolution.

Jeremiah speaks of a time of "honesty and integrity in the land." When we gather as a Christian community, we link our thoughts, words and actions together in prayer to the Father. This prayer finds expression in our behaviour towards our neighbour at the end of Mass until we meet again at the altar of the Lord.

If we live out our baptismal promises with "honesty and integrity", we will make Christ's kingdom present in our families and communities. Our thoughts, words and actions during and after the "Our Father" will be in harmony. One day we will stand before the judgement seat of God - if we have honesty and integrity.

Jesus warns us against our hearts "being hardened...by the cares of life." Hardness of heart in the Old Testament is a sin which can only be cured by God's mercy. That's why we are anointed with holy oil above our heart before our baptism.

After a week where a lack of honesty and integrity have been highlighted in many ways, St Paul's words to the people of Thessalonika inspire us to open our hearts to God's mercy, gentleness and peace.

Let's all work harder as priests and people so that we "may be blamelesss in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints."

Advent Blessings to one and all.

 

Blessing of the Advent Wreath

Lord, send your blessing on us
as we begin our journey towards Bethlehem.

Help us to reflect on the power of light
to dispel darkness and sin from our lives and from our world.

Touch our hearts with the warmth and friendship of your love.

We pray your blessing on this Advent wreath and candles.

May the unbroken circle remind us of your undying love for us.
Let the increasing light of these candles warm our hearts
to a deep love of God and active love for neighbour.

May this wreath remind us to prepare a good welcome
in our hearts and souls for Jesus, the Light of the World,
who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
Amen.