where advent begins

This Advent I am reading a book of daily reflections from Jan L. Richardson in the book, Through the Advent Door: Entering a Contemplative Christmas. I cheated a little and read the reflection for the first day of Advent. Turns out it was exactly what I needed to hear as I posture and prepare myself for the season. Here are a few highlights…

“Perhaps the preparation and expectation to which Advent calls us are not to be found solely in the spaces we set aside during the season. Although it’s important to keep working at finding those contemplative openings in these days, perhaps Advent is what happens in the midst of all this. We enter the heart of the season, the invitation of these weeks, amid the life that is unfolding around us, with it’s wildness and wonder and upheaval and intensity.”

She goes on to say…
“Advent beacons us beyond the certainties that may not serve us – those sureties we have relied on that may have no substance to them after all. Advent is a season to look at what we have fashioned our lives around – beliefs, habits, convictions, prejudices – and to see whether these leave any room for the Christ who is so fond of slipping into our lives in guises we may not readily recognize.

As we cross the threshold into Advent, what are you carrying with you from the seasons past? Is there something you need to let go of so that you have room for Christ as he comes to us in this season? How might God use what is most present in your life – even the chaos and messiness and unpredictability – to fashion a space of welcome, not only for Christ but also for you?”

~ Jan L. Richardson (Through the Advent Door: Entering a Contemplative Christmas, “Door One”)

Preparing for Advent :: 2013

The first Sunday of Advent arrives the Sunday after Thanksgiving…Sunday, December 1. Here is my sixth annual blog post of resources and links in preparation for the Advent season. For those of you who have followed my blog in Advents past, there’s not a whole lot new here. But, I will pass on additional resources and links as I discover them. Please share any additional Advent resources or ideas that have been helpful to you in comments to this blog post.

I have often shared my frustration with reflections of the church calendar seasons that only center around a Northern Hemisphere experience and context. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking them. It’s just that there is a void of reflections, prayers and liturgies from a Southern Hemisphere experience. For example, many Advent reflections often parallel the darkness and waiting of winter, while down here in the Southern Hemisphere summer is upon us and we are enjoying more light and new life. If any of my Southern Hemisphere friends would like to share reflections on Advent from a spring and summer perspective, let me know. I’d love to initiate and compile some reflections on this!

Below if the list of Advent resources and books. Just click on the website or book title to check it out…

CRI/Voice - The Season of Advent: Anticipation and Hope
This is a helpful introduction and summary of Advent.

GodSpace Blog
This Advent Christine Sine will host a blog series, “Coming Home: Uncovering Our Roots in the Advent Story.“ It will include blog posts and reflections from a variety of contributors.

You can also like the Advent Facebook page...HERE.

Ignatian Spirituality Advent Resources
This page includes a variety of resources, including an Advent Retreat booklet based on Ignatian contemplative and prayer practices.

Sacred Space for Advent Online Retreat 2013

Songs for Advent
A couple years ago I discovered this Advent worship digital download. It quickly became a favorite!

Book of Common Prayer Daily Scripture Readings for Advent 
(Year Two - 2013/2014)

Revised Common Lectionary Sunday Scripture Readings for Advent
(Year A - 2013/2014)

Praying Advent
Creighton University’s Online Ministries offers a selection of materials to help people prayerfully enter into Advent, from short prayers to longer reflections and retreats.

Sojourners Top Ten Advent Resources (2012)

Books
The following are a few Advent books I have used in the past or will be using this year.

Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year
By Malcolm Guite
I recently discovered this book of sonnets and poetry for the liturgical year. Looking forward to using it beginning this Advent.

Through the Advent Door: Entering a Contemplative Christmas
By Jan L. Richardson
This is a new one for me that I plan to use this Advent. Jan Ricardson has another Advent book called, Night Visions: Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas.

Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent 
By Enuma Okoro
This was published last year and focuses on waiting and longing of Elizabeth and Zechariah.

Monastery Journey to Christmas
By Brother Victor-Antoine D’Avila-Latourrette
I purchased this book a couple years ago and it quickly became a favorite!

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
This is a great compilation of readings from both classic and contemporary writers.

Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional
Christine Sine & Mustard Seed Associates have put together a book of reflections, liturgies, and prayers posted on Godspace blog in years past.

On Compassion...Gregory Boyle

My latest read is Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle. I am loving it! It definitely will make my list of favorite books of 2013. I recommend you get yourself a copy and read it. If you want to learn a little more about Father Greg, you can check out some of his latest reflection films on At the Work of the People, HERE.

Here is just a taste of the book from the chapter on "Compassion"...

“Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.” (67)

"The strategy of Jesus is not centered in taking the right stand on issues, but rather in standing in the right place – with the outcast and those relegated to the margins.” (72)

“The Beatitudes is not a spirituality, after all. It’s a geography. It tells us where to stand.” (75)

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a covenant between equals. Al Sharpton always says, ‘We’re all created equal, but we don’t al end up equal.’” (77)

“There is a brand-new, palpable sense of solidarity among equals, a beloved community. This is always the fruit of true compassion.” (80)