A blessing for these Advent days.

 

PREPARE

A Blessing for Advent

Strange how one word

will so hollow you out.

But this word

has been in the wilderness

for months.

Years.

This word is what remained

after everything else

was worn away

by sand and stone.

It is what withstood

the glaring of sun by day,

the weeping loneliness of

the moon at night.

Now it comes to you

racing out of the wild,

eyes blazing

and waving its arms,

its voice ragged with desert

but piercing and loud

as it speaks itself

again and again:

Prepare, prepare.

It may feel like

the word is leveling you,

emptying you

as it asks you

to give up

what you have known.

It is impolite

and hardly tame,

but when it falls

upon your lips

you will wonder

at the sweetness,

like honey

that finds its way

into the hunger

you had not known

was there.

—Jan Richardson

from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

 

https://www.janrichardson.com/

 

Advent Sit Meditation | Sunday, November 30 | Center for Action and Cont...

Remembering December 2, 1980 . . .

 

Remembering . . . never to forget!

The four women, all of whom were experienced mission workers, to show that in some ways they knew the danger facing them, but their faith and commitment drove them to stay in El Salvador anyway:

“If we abandon them when they are suffering the cross, how can we speak credibly about the resurrection?” -Maura Clarke, M.M.

“Most of us feel we would want to stay here.… We wouldn’t want to just run out on the people.” -Dorothy Kazel, O.S.U.

“Several times I have decided to leave El Salvador. I almost could, except for the children.” -Jean Donovan

“I truly believe that I should be here, and I can’t even tell you why.… All I can share with you is that God’s palpable presence has never been more real.” -Ita Ford, M.M.

• Lord, make me your witness. In this world of darkness, let my light shine.
• In this world of lies, let me speak the good news of truth.
• In this world of hate and fear, let me radiate your love.
• In this world of despair, let me spread hope.
• In this world of systemic injustice and institutionalized evil, let me promote justice and goodness.
• In this world of sadness and sorrow, let me bring joy.
• In this world of cruelty and condemnation, let me show your compassion.
• In this world of vengeance and retaliation, let me offer your mercy and reconciliation.
• In this world of war, let me serve your gift of peace.
• In this world of violence, make me a teacher and apostle of your nonviolence.
• In this world of death, let me proclaim the new life of resurrection.
• Help me to witness to the resurrection of Jesus by loving my enemies, showing compassion, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, serving the poor, liberating the oppressed, resisting war, beating plowshares, and disarming my heart and the world.
• In the name of the risen, nonviolent Jesus, Amen

Taken from:
You Will be My Witnesses:
Saints, Prophets and Martyrs
By John Dear

An Advent Poem

There Was a Time

There was a time when there was no time,
When darkness reigned as king,
When a formless void was all that there was
in the nothingness of eternity,
When it was night.
But over the void and over the night Love watched.
There was a time when time began.
It began when Love spoke.

Time began for light and life, for splendor and grandeur.
Time began for seas and mountains, for flowers and birds.
Time began for the valleys to ring with the songs of life,
and for the wilderness to echo with the wailing of wind
and howling of animals.
And over the earth, Love watched.

There was a time when time began to be recorded.
A time when Love breathed and a new creature came to life.
A new creature so special that it was in the image and likeness of Love
Of Love who is God.
And so man was born and the dawn of a new day shone on the world.
And over man, Love watched.

But there came a time when the new day faded.
A time when man who was like God tried to be God.
A time when the creature challenged the creator.
A time when man preferred death to life and darkness to light.
And so the new day settled into twilight.
And over the darkness, Love watched.

 

There was a time of waiting in the darkness.
A time when man waited in the shadows,
And all creation groaned in sadness.

There was waiting for Love to speak again—  for Love to breathe again.

And kings and nations and empires rose and faded in the shadows.
And Love waited and watched.

Finally, there came a time when Love spoke again.
A Word from eternity--a Word
Spoken to a girl who belonged to a people not known by the world
Spoken to a girl who belonged to a family not known by her people
To a girl named Mary.
And all creation waited in hushed silence for the girl's answer.
And Mary spoke her yes.
And Love watched over Mary.

And so there came a time when Love breathed again
When Love breathed new life into Mary's yes.
And a new day dawned for the World
A day when light returned to darkness, when life returned to dispel death
And so a day came when Love became man--a mother bore a child.
And Love watched over Love--a Father watched His Son.

And, lastly, there came a time when you and I became a part of time.
Now is the time that you and I wait.
Now we wait to celebrate what the world waited for.
And as we wait to celebrate what was at one time, we become a part of that time
A time when a new dawn and a new dream and a new creation began for humankind.
And as a part of time, Love waits and Love watches over us.

Fr. Joseph Breighner ~The Catholic Review,                11-28-80

 

Waiting Time . . .

 Advent 

By Lucy Rose Johns

We are waiting for these aches and pains to be healed.      

We are waiting for the hunger within to be satisfied.                             

We are waiting for love to touch us.

We are waiting to be understood and really listened to.

We are waiting for decisions to be easy.

We are waiting to be inspired to love unlovable people.

We are waiting for financial cares to be resolved.

We are waiting for serenity to accept the things we cannot change.

We are waiting for courage to change the things we can.

We are waiting for wisdom to know the difference.

We are waiting to be appreciated.

We are waiting for justice.

We are waiting for the answers.

We are waiting for the dawn of a new day.

We are waiting for things to get easier.

We are waiting for a time of rest, peace, quiet.

We are waiting for patience.

We are waiting and waiting.

We are waiting

In joyful hope for the coming of the Lord!

Warning: Advent Virus . . .

 

Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
• A loss of interest in judging other people.
• A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
• A loss of interest in conflict.
• A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
• Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
• An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Please send this warning out to all your friends. This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it.

(Anonymous 

First Sunday of Advent

 

Ellen Romer Niemiec, MDiv Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44  As a parent of three, I am familiar with the practice and discipline of waiting. The initial waiting of 9 months for a child to slowly grow, trusting that it’s happening while never really getting to see what is going on within my own body, let alone my soul. The practice of waiting evolves into nights waiting for a fever to break, for the cries to wane or for their little selves to finally fall asleep. It is becoming a process of waiting to see what they will reveal of themselves, who it is that God has really created. And sometimes I am just waiting for them to get their shoes tied and into the car for school. But the practice of waiting and watching for what is to come has become a constant practice in my life. Entering into this season of Advent, the practice of watching has taken new turns. In Chicago, many communities have taken up the practice of watching for their neighbors, especially our migrant brothers and sisters and those who have been made even more vulnerable. I took my children whom I watch so closely to stand watch with our Church at Mass at the Broadview detention center a few weeks ago alongside many of our friends and colleagues. I stand watch on school corners, for anxious cars, wayward children and masked drivers. Watching now includes whistles and zines folded by the hands of communities gathered. We do not watch alone, but alongside one another.  Waiting has become, unfortunately, a more anxious practice than has been typical, but remains utterly sacred as we continue to watch for those who God created lovingly and purposefully. I am reminded by the Psalm today that while my waiting today feels anxious, we are invited to wait and move forward with joy. We do not just keep watch to keep one another safe but to also look for the joy and light amid the darkness. We do not wait about to pass the time, but to pass along witness to hope and solidarity. To notice those standing on street corners with whistles and carrying communion outside detention centers are beacons of light amid the darkness. That those who wait inside, afraid to go out, may see them as light and have real hope that God will always be our light in the darkness and that the darkness will always overcome the light. The waiting may feel heavy and dark at times these days, but we do wait in joyful hope. Ellen Romer Niemiec, MDiv (she/her/hers) Director of Enrollment Management https://learn.ctu.edu/

Will You Remember Me?

 

The Church year comes to an end today with Jesus calling all people to himself and welcoming them into his kingdom. David appears as the first king before whom all the tribes of Israel assemble, and he tells them that he will be their shepherd and will care for them. Jesus is the heir of King David who likewise models himself as a shepherd first. In the Gospel, we hear the story of the repentant thief who acknowledges his wrongdoing and proclaims the innocence of Jesus, and Jesus, as someone whose care is radical, includes him as one who is fit for the kingdom. I think so many of us call out to Jesus as that crucified man did: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

 

Let us remember one thing: at the Crucifixion, Jesus forgave all sins, and that means that his kingdom is built on mercy. What does this mean for us? Jesus forgave all sins – yours, the sins of your past, the person who sinned against you, the ones you will do today, the ones you will do in the future. He asks you to know and to live in his mercy. Fr. Michael Himes, a Boston College professor wrote: “We have the temptation to refuse to accept our own innate goodness and the goodness of others. We disbelieve the good news that we made in the image and likeness of God and that creation is good – very good.” What can we say to make you know and believe that you are good and whole and beautiful and redeemed? What do I have to say to convince you?

 

The name of God is mercy. It seems that our prayer ought to be to ask for a sincere gratitude of God’s mercy. If I fully accept that God loves me radically and sincerely, then my participation in the kingdom is to love one another the same way. A Christian’s vision sees no barriers to full, flourishing human relationships. It is a worldview that welcomes in those who are estranged and distant. It unites those who squabble and gossip, and it reconciles enemies. It builds bridges and recognizes that the kingdom of God is a big tent, and that God invites many different people into it. 

 

Regrettably, we’ve all met people who profess to be Christians who have hardened hearts. Their judgments are absolute and their righteous belief in their correctness cannot be penetrated. They speak as if they own the truth. They want a small, closed tent and they believe they are inside the tent and others should not be permitted. They allow no room for mercy. The person who holds onto ideologies and makes sweeping judgments about types of people needs one’s attitudes and convictions challenged. This type of person somehow needs one’s heart to be softened.

 

We are in the tent because we have received the mercy of God, who, in the Christ event, revealed that God knows human suffering. We are in the tent because we are welcoming, non-judging, and merciful to others. The kingdom is built on hearts softened and enlarged by mercy. We are in the tent because we know or want God to love us sincerely.

 

How can I tell you that you are lovable just as you are made. You cannot earn God’s love; you cannot lose it. There is nothing about you that can separate you from God. Nothing at all. No sin. No decision you made, nothing you said. No physical feature or mental or emotional make-up. Nothing. God only sees your goodness and cherishes you just as you are. What do I need to say to you to help you believe that? God wants you to love and see yourself the way that God loves and sees you – with honor, with pride, and great satisfaction. God’s love reaches deep into your most hidden crevices and finds you to be remarkable. This love works miracles and knows no limits, and it can make the impossible happen.

 

This is the kingdom we are in. Christ is the shepherd of our souls, and his kingdom is built on this reconciling love where you know you are redeemed, forgiven, welcomed. You belong now and forever. Nothing can separate you from this reality. This is the kingdom to which we must let others know they belong. Others are asking the question, “Jesus, will you remember me?” This is the king who will come down from the cross, to embrace you in his arms, and say, “You have always been part of it. Yes, I want you. Yes, you belong. Come. You will be with me to the end of the ages.”

 

https://predmore.blogspot.com/

 

With a grateful heart . . .

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You that will be enough.

Meister Eckhart

 

November 23, 2025: Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy Preaches for the Solemni...

Having gladness . . .

 

 

God is soaked
in our world.
God’s Spirit
lives and breathes
in and though
all that is.

We are lost
only when we
do not understand
that God
is already with
and in
each one of us.

Our task is recognition
of God’s initiative
to be at home in us . . .
acceptance
of God-With-Us.
Then we cannot but
be glad.
Author Unknown

Waiting in Stillness

Author Pico Iyer ~

 "in an age of speed, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow,
in an age of distraction, nothing could feel more luxurious than paying attention,
and in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still."
(The Art of Stillness)

 

 

One Life. One Journey. One Family. Mitakuye Oyasin (We are all related)

A Pueblo Indian Prayer

 

Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men,
we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we had no delinquents.
Without a prison, there can be no delinquents.
We had no locks nor keys and therefore among us there were no thieves.
When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket,
he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift.
We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property.
We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being
was not determined by his wealth.

We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians,
therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another.
We were really in bad shape before the white men arrived and I don't know
how to explain how we were able to manage without these fundamental things
that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society.

- John (Fire) Lame Deer, Sioux Lakota (1903-1976)

Native American Wisdom Quotes . .

 

Treat the earth well.  We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
 - Native American Proverb

In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.
 - From The Great Law of The Iroquois Confederacy

There can never be peace between nations
Until it is first known that true peace is within the souls of men. 
 - Oglala Sioux

We are all flowers in the Great Spirit's garden.  We share a common root, and the root is Mother Earth.       
 - Hopi Prophecy

When we Indians kill meat, we eat it all up.... When we build houses, we make little holes.  When we burn grass for grasshoppers, we don't ruin things.  We shake down acorns and pinenuts.  We don't chop down the trees.
 - Wintu Indian, quoted in Julian Burger, The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples, 1990

Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. 
 - Chief Seattle, 1854 treaty oration

Follow your dreams, to the fields unknown, to where wild flowers sink into the sun. I will meet you there, and we shall dance until the sun rises once again.
 - Red Deer

This is the Earth, healed again, growing green and blue.
I want you to remember this exactly as it is,
and then go and tell the people that if enough of us hold this image in their minds,
we can heal the Earth and make it like it was a long time ago.
 - Grandfather Rolling Thunder, Cherokee Medicine Elder

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground they spit upon themselves.
This we know. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected.
 - Chief Seattle

Sunset. Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.
And I say the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy...
But anywhere is the center of the world.
 - Black Elk 3

_______________________________________

 

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP

"The importance of prayer and trust in the Great Spirit of God"

 

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time   Roger Schroeder, SVD https://learn.ctu.edu/ Readings: Malachi 3:19-20a Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Luke 21:5-19   As we move toward the end of the liturgical year, our Sunday readings include themes of God’s judgment and the “end times.” The first reading is from Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) in the Christian bible. Earlier in this chapter of Malachi, the prophet denounces the indifference and injustice of his context, condemning “those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, . . . [or who] thrust aside the alien” (Malachi 3:5). God’s judgment will come like a blazing fire against the proud and evil doers.  However, at the same time, there will be “the sun of justice with its healing rays” (Malachi 3:20b). The prophet’s vision of “God’s judgment as a great cleansing fire, while perhaps disturbing, is an effort to express God’s passionate desire to right what has gone wrong in the world he [God] has created.”[1] In response to questions about the last days, Jesus in today’s gospel passage talks about wars, earthquakes, famines and plagues and Jesus adds that before all this chaos, there will be suffering and challenges (even from our family). However, the last word is one of assurance, paralleling Malachi’s “the sun of justice with its healing rays.” “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed” (Lk 21:18). This phrase is sandwiched between the two key virtues of faith and endurance. God will give us the words to speak in the face of our persecutions and crisis moments (Lk 21:15), and “by your perseverance you will secure your lives” (Lk 21:19). Regarding the former, I have found it reassuring to pray for the right words (or silence) before entering into a difficult conversation or encounter.  I want to expand more on the second virtue of perseverance. Over forty years ago, CTU was invited into a relationship with a Native American Lakota extended family through one of the seven Lakota sacred rituals called “hunka” (“making of relatives”) — making non-Lakota persons members of a family.  This was done between Tillie Black Bear, founder of a center for victims of domestic violence on the Rose Bud reservation, and Claude-Marie Barbour, a French Presbyterian minister, CTU faculty member, and head of the “Chicago family.”  Although Tillie died in 2014 and Claude-Marie has not been back to the reservation since around 2012, the relationship continues since it is between families and not individuals. I first visited the Lakota family in 1991 and have continued to lead CTU students and others on immersion experiences to two Lakota reservations in South Dakota. Relationships of mutual respect, trust, and healing have developed over the years.  During our visit last month, we again were deeply touched by the stories of perseverance and resiliency by individuals and communities who continue to strive to live lives of dignity, hope, inclusiveness, and integrity in the face of past and present prejudice, injustice, suffering, violence, and hardship.  Our Lakota friends constantly emphasized the importance of prayer and trust in the Great Spirit of God. Like those who receive the prophetic words and witness of Malachi and Jesus, the Lakota people are assured that God has not forgotten them and that God is accompanying them in their trials and challenges today.  We are also reminded of the promise of God to bring “the sun of justice with its healing rays” (Malachi 3:20b), and that by our perseverance we will secure our lives. Roger Schroeder, SVD Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD Chair of Mission and Culture [1] Deacon J. Peter Nixon, “The Sun of Justice,” Give Us This Day (November 2025),169.

A Thanksgiving Reflection . . .

 

Scripture reference: The Beatitudes . . .  Matthew 5:1-12

In her poem, When Death Comes, Mary Oliver writes:

“When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder

if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened

or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.”

 

We come together at this time with the intention to remember, to celebrate, and to express our gratitude for the multitude of blessings we have received throughout the past year. This evening prayer, set within the season of Thanksgiving and guided by our readings, calls us to embrace a life rooted in gratitude. To truly live as "gratitude people" means engaging more deeply than simply gathering here—it is an invitation to cultivate a lasting attitude of thankfulness.

 Gratitude is more than a fleeting feeling; it is an attitude we can freely choose. By embracing gratitude, we shape a better life not only for ourselves but also for others and for the world around us. This quality of thankfulness enriches and deepens our own experiences and radiates outward to touch the lives of those around us. Gratitude can be both a personal act of self-expression and a meaningful spiritual practice, serving as a wholehearted response to the many gifts and bounties life offers.

It is an essential aspect of our existence, celebrating the connections that bind us to one another. Every act and experience of gratefulness reaffirms our sense of belonging—to the world and to the community of our fellow human beings. Through gratitude, we recognize that we live not in isolation, but in relationship with others.

 If we are deprived of daily experiences and expressions of gratitude, our lives quickly lose vitality. Just as a weakened immune system leaves the body vulnerable. A lack of gratitude makes one’s spirit susceptible to cynicism, anger, persistent dissatisfaction, and even low-grade depression. When gratitude is absent, we endure a relentless decline in our sense of joy and energy.

 Tonight’s Gospel reading challenges us to live as "BEattitude people." The Beatitudes invite us to be open to surprise—to recognize the unexpected blessings woven throughout our lives. Truly hearing the "good news" of these Scriptures means reevaluating our understanding of what it means to be blessed. 

When we find ourselves spiritually impoverished, with no one to turn to but God, it is in that poverty that we discover both who God truly is and who we are.

In times of feeling small, mourning, or yearning for justice that has eluded us, we are called in our helplessness to turn to God, longing for comfort and satisfaction.

 When our hearts have experienced God’s mercy for our shortcomings and we have found healing from past wounds, we become capable of offering forgiveness and mercy to others. In doing so, we become peacemakers. This special blessedness fills our hearts with mercy, allowing us to see God in "the last, the least, and the lost."

 When our trust in God brings us ridicule, or when standing with the poor and marginalized leads to rejection, we are encouraged to "rejoice and be glad." In those moments, we are wrapped in the Reign of God, deeply understanding that our purpose in life is not simply to seek happiness, but to make a meaningful difference—to matter because we have lived.

So, tonight, as we gather to remember and to give thanks, let us also recommit ourselves to facing the days ahead with courage and hope. These are the days that challenge us to do more than just pass through life—to truly live as gratitude people and BEattitude people, open to the continual surprises of God’s blessings.

 

Let us pray:

·       May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deeply and authentically in our hearts.

·       May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people and the earth, so that we will strive for justice, equity, and peace.

·       May God bless us with tears for those who suffer, that we might reach out to comfort them and help transform their pain into joy.

·       May God bless us with the foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in the world, so that we will attempt what others deem impossible.

Amen. Amen.