Advent Gratitude . . .

 

 Ignatian Examen for Advent

The Grace of Gratitude
I speak from my heart telling God why I am grateful,
being very particular and naming specific things:
gifts, people, events, blessings
How do I wait with gratitude?

The Grace to See
I walk with God through the experiences of my day
(or past year) giving thanks where I have grown,
and noticing where I have stumbled.
Where do I need the gift of light?
How do I wait with a discerning heart?

The Grace of Freedom
I ask for the grace to awaken my memory to anything from
my day (or past year) where God is inviting me to greater
freedom and peace.
I spend some time listening to my heart.
How do I wait in peace… in silence… listening?

The Grace of Mercy
I ask to feel hope, knowing that God will always give me
forgiveness. I ask God’s mercy in personal words that come
from my heart.
How do I wait in hope and with trust this
Advent Season?

The Grace of Transformation
I listen to my heart for invitations to change the way I pray,
live, work, love, play, relate, serve, or define success.
What deep desire within me is waiting to be
uncovered, discovered, or recovered this
Advent Season?

I pray the Our Father that God’s Kingdom reign in my life.

Examen adapted by William Watson, S.J.
Advent Reflections (Source Unknown) 

Adventing . . .

 . . . Candle Lighting in a Pandemic

First Sunday of Advent

Each year we light candles in advent as a way of marking the weeks before Christmas.
In the northern hemisphere, as we progress through advent
the nights get longer, and the days get shorter.
Each week our advent candles shed more light.
This pandemic year, instead of having candles only at the front of the church,
we will light candles in our homes together:
the many flames uniting us as a worshipping community,
waiting together for Jesus.

Today we mark the first Sunday of Advent,
and today we light the candle of hope.
Advent is the season of hope.
We hope for a Saviour who can save us,
a Healer who can heal us,
and a Counsellor who hears all our sorrows.
In darkness that deepens,
we wait for the coming of the light of the world.      

We wait in hope as we light this candle of hope. [light the candle]

Used with Permission 

https://carolpenner.typepad.com/leadinginworship/

Living Gratitude . . .

 

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

https://melodybeattie.com/

Image: Doris Klein, CSA

Hope is never cancelled . . .

 

Silent steps

By

Rabindranath tagore

 

Have you not heard God’s silent steps?

God comes, comes, ever comes.

Every moment and every age,

Every day and every night

God comes, comes, ever comes.

 

Many a song I sung in many a mood of mind,

but all their notes have always proclaimed,

‘God comes, comes, ever comes.’

 

 In the fragrant days of sunny April through the forest path God comes, comes, ever comes.

In the rainy gloom of July nights on the

thundering chariot of clouds

God comes, comes, ever comes.

 

In sorrow after sorrow

it is God’s steps that press upon my heart,

and it is the golden touch of God’s feet

that makes my joy to shine.

Sr. Terry Rickard, OP Preaches for the First Sunday in Advent (11/29/2020)

Awareness Prayer . . .

God to enfold me.

God to surround me.

God in my speaking.

God in my thinking.

God in my sleeping.

God in my waking.

God in my watching.

God in my hoping.

Traditional Celtic Prayer

Ellie Hidalgo Preaches for Christ the King Sunday (11/22/2020)