How do you prepare for important events? Why is preparation important?
ADVENT - A TIME TO PREPARE
Advent is a special time of the Catholic liturgical calendar when adherents prepare physically and spiritually for the coming celebrations of Christmas. Just as Mary prepared for her new child, Christians look forward with eager anticipation to the birth of Christ. Physical symbols such as the Advent Wreath, Advent Calendar and Jesse Tree help focus on the spiritual, as does reflecting on Scripture passages in prayer. The following passages were written a long time ago and yet they still hold meaning for Christians today.
JEREMIAH Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Jeremiah 18:1-6 Along with Jesus and St Paul, Jeremiah is one of the individuals in the history of Israel that we know the most about. He was quiet and peace-loving and, like Moses, was initially not confident to speak to others about the covenant with God. Jeremiah knew that to be a prophet was to suffer the rejection of others. Jeremiah lived in turbulent times; born in the 7th century BC, he witnessed Judah change from a peaceful nation to one conquered by the Babylonians who destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem (587BC). Despite all this, Jeremiah's consolation was that God was with him. The symbolism of the potter who can make something anew by reworking clay is a key theme in Jeremiah's writings. His optimism and faith despite adversity gives us much to admire. How do the writings of Jeremiah relate to the season of Christmas?
Ezekiel Ezekiel 36:24-28 Writing in the 6th century BC during the time of the Babylonian Exile, Ezekiel focuses optimistically on a return to harmony and peace. Ezekiel's writings are quite structured. This return involves three stages: ritual cleansing, new hearts and the spirit of God. Although this is seen as prophetic literature, there is no time frame on Ezekiel's future hope but he does emphasise individual responsiblity, repentance and submission to God as Creator of all. In what ways do our attitudes impact on our future experiences?
Isaiah Isaiah 49:14-16 The Book of Isaiah is believed to have been composed by several authors over a period of time, during the period of exile in the 6th century. The strong feminine imagery in this passage emphasises the bond between God and Zion (the people of Israel) and reflects the belief in the covenant of fertility and abundance in the land of Israel. Beliefs about a coming Messiah were prevalent in Roman-occupied Palestine at the time of Jesus - how were these beliefs shaped by the writings of Isaiah?
St Paul Romans 8:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-10 Paul's letters to the early Christian communities in Rome (approx 57AD) and Corinth (53-54AD) reminds the people of what it means to have hope in Christ. He promotes patience in our waiting and peace in our suffering. The Corinthians passage culminates in the importance of faith, hope and love and it is these attitudes that Christians strive for during Advent. Why is hope important in people's lives?
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
How might you focus on your spiritual nature during Advent?
What are some of the challenges we face when trying to promote peace and hope at Christmas time?
Who helps you when you are feeling hope-less or less than loving?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), to what extent is Christmas an important part of your life?
PRAYER REFLECTIONS
Write a list of all the things, people, experiences you are grateful for. You may wish to write this in the form of a prayer
Ask God to help you make the most of Advent to prepare spiritually so that you can promote peace and love in what is often a very busy time of the year.