Nov. 27-I was surprised that we use blue instead of purple of Advent. It does make sense to distinguish color from the traditional Lenten color. blue, as in royal blue, awaits the presence, better, the return of Christ the King. Blue is also considered a symbol of hope, a fundamental virtue of this season, perhaps as it lends to the color of the sky, the upward. I have also heard it mentioned that it is the background of the sky for the natal star of the Magi. I realize that many reading this are burdened by the pressure of the holiday.
Monday-Every week, I get a note from the pastor and writer Ira Kent Groff. He reflected on thanksgiving as a spiritual practice last week and he contrasts it to the ancient lex talonis, eye for eye motto. It said me thinking. What if we did reciprocate for every kind deed and word with a correlative kind deed and word? This can be especially helpful when some of us dread seeing some of the relatives or co-workers at all of the gatherings for this season. Martin Seligman has evidence that this act does correlate with a better mood.
Tuesday-Advent we are told is a season of waiting. I hate waiting. when I know I have to be in line, I like to read a book to help quell my annoyance. On the other hand, when i know something is approaching, i do not mind, at least some of the time, preparing for it. when waiting is passive, I get annoyed, but active waiting is often OK. Help make your soulready for Christmas.
Wednesday-Hope emerged as the theme for this Advent week as we lit the first candle. Alexander Dumas:” the sum of the human condition is wait and hope.” With the economy still in the doldrums, hope is a most precious commodity. Hope bends down to look fear in the face and point to better times ahead. Instead of giving into the inaction of despair, we are drawn toward making a dream into reality. As Aristotle said, “hope is a waking dream.”
Thursday-I Cor. 1:3-9 was the epistle reading on Sunday. I latched on to v. 3 that Paul gives thanks to God for them always. we complain about those closest to us much more consistently than we ever give thanks. We can get operatic about complaint but tongue tied about thanksgiving for them. If that seems too much, be grateful for a small blessing. If you are being bored by looking at a relative picture son their cell phone, remember the days when we had to sit through slide shows.
Friday-Susie Delano gave me a set of devotions on the environment from Presbyterians for Restoring Creation. Rebecca Barnes-Davies writes toward the end of her devotion:” May we also take active steps to live rightly and righteously with all God’s creation so that the good news can spread to all places on earth.” We wait for a new heaven and new earth. Can we possibly leave it polluted and despoiled for our progeny and indeed the Creator?
Saturday-Ps. 80 was a reading on Sunday.It has a plaintive sound. It reminds me of the new song by Nick Lowe, House for Sale, where he moves as the love in the home has faded. so, the garden needs tending. In the psalm, the vine Israel, once manicured is left to go untended. We are given a spiritual garden, but we often leave it to lie fallow. Advent is a designated time to work with our spiritual garden as we prepare for the renewal of the gift of Christmas yet again.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment