An Advent Word

The season of Advent offers us an opportunity to renew our prayer life through the scriptures. The Order of Worship, which lists the prayers, readings, and feasts of each liturgical season, tells the reader before the First Sunday of Advent that we begin “the year of grace 2006".

As is often noted, on the First Sunday of Advent we begin the Church’s new liturgical year. Advent introduces the cycle of prayer and celebration which invites us into the mystery of Christ’s death and rising. We are invited to move from Advent to Christmas/Epiphany, to Lent, to Easter/Pentecost. These are the seasons that mark the moments of exploring the mystery of Christ with us.

In the liturgical cycle, these major seasons are punctuated with the so-called “ordinary time”. They are ordinary only in the sense that the Sundays are not marked with major festivals. Yet in God’s time all is graced, all filled with his saving actions on our behalf. We continue to live our life in Christ.

The Word
While much popular devotion and piety shape each of the liturgical seasons, the real heart of Christian celebration and life is the Word of God itself. It is in the Word that the Lord continues to reveal himself to us and the mystery of his relationship with our human family. Within that Word we also discover ourselves, as God shows himself to us. The scriptures are the way of being embraced by the saving mysteries which we experience in Christ.
Advent, for example, has all kinds of symbols, colors, and sounds. In our homes, many families celebrate with an Advent Wreath with its evergreen wreath and three purple candles and its one pink for the third week of the season. It is a good way for the family to gather with readings from the prophets and know something of what it is to wait for the actions of God. It’s shape speaks of the ongoing fidelity of the Father with it circular shape and living green color.

The colors are the blues and purples of the seasons, somewhat reminiscent of penance and expectation. They recall the waiting of faithful people in the night for the coming of the sun. They recall the prophets waiting for the fullness of the day. They accompany the expectancy of the Virgin Mother for the birth of the Savior.

The Liturgy continues each Sunday with its regular pattern of celebrating the Lord’s death and resurrection. No matter the season, whether Advent, Christmas, or Epiphany, what is central to our redemption is the saving death and rising of the Lord. We come to know him around his Table in the breaking of the bread.

Advent Word
The Advent Word offers us the possibility of a renewed encounter with God in our lives. The Word is revelatory of the presence and action of God among us. In that presence and actions, the Father offers us a continual and blessed relationship in Christ. Like all relationships, the Word of God is about stories, about unfolding personal and communal history. It’s about invitation and response. God encounters us in Christ--which is ultimate Word--and we enter an intimate and wonderful relationship which transforms our lives.

Advent is a good time to take up the Word of God and enter into his presence. How can one do that prayerfully and reflectively?

Take up the Advent Sunday readings. Be still and quiet before beginning. Invite the presence of God into your prayer.

One could, perhaps read all the readings for the context of God’s revelatory presence with us. Then, choose one of the readings or a section of one reading. Read it slowly. Wait. Be still.

With that one section, allow your mind to wrap itself around the words and see what meaning comes to mind. From another perspective, allow the word to wrap itself around you. And wait.

Eventually, silence will come and with silence the encounter with God. Again be still and wait. Another dimension is to enjoy the encounter.

Give thanks for the encounter, review what you have received and learned of God and of yourself.

Advent, you see, is about waiting for the Kingdom, which is God-with-us in Christ.

CDH