Advent, like Lent, provides a period of introspection and self-examination. It is a period in the Christian calendar when we allow ourselves a “tune up.” If Lent is a major service, Advent is at least an oil change and tire rotation! We see how we are doing and make a few minor changes.
For many reasons this has not been an easy Advent for me—physically, psychologically and spiritually. Toward its end I have been more introspective than usual. The little cycle of prayers in our Way of Living have been helpful.
The prayers are these:
That all people will be ready for the coming of God
That all nations will know the realm of God
That the broken will find healing from God
I have been struck by these requests and, this week, I have turned them toward myself. It has helped me look at my own readiness, my own apprehension of the realm of God, and my own need for healing. In all three areas I have realized a great lack. In other words, it has been very challenging, as I have daily made these requests for others to realize that I have the same needs.
Readiness for the Coming
The coming of God is an extraordinarily rich idea. It is one of those word pictures that contain so much. It speaks of something not yet but soon to be—like the birth of a child. It is something of the greatest importance—like the visit of a sovereign or president to a lowly village. It suggests that great change is on the way—like the coming of spring after a hard winter. For all of these “comings” preparation is essential. The coming of God is like this only more so. What that coming is or may look like I have no idea. Yet, this week it has felt to me near and very real. I wonder if this is what St. Benedict meant when he urged his monks to “keep death daily before one’s eyes”? Surely, in death is one of the ways of the Coming of God. Benedict urged preparation, readiness, for who knows when that will be. As I thought about this in this fourth week of Advent I has a stark realization that perhaps I am not ready for the Coming.
Apprehension of God’s Realm
The realm of God is the realm of love, for God is love. Where we find love we find God’s realm. Hell is the absence of the realm of God. Hell is where there is no love. Hell does not exist in itself; it is mere negation of love, a deprivation of love. Hell, evil, and the devil have no positive existence. They are ways of speaking of the absence of love. (This was Augustine’s great insight.) To know the realm of God is to know love. This speaks to me of the apprehension, or realization, of love as the knowledge of God’s realm. During this Advent I have become aware of how little I have apprehended love. To know more love is my prayer.
Brokenness
Part of the difficulty of this Advent season has been my own realization of brokenness. I am not whole and desire to be so. The promise of Advent (longing) to Christmas (birth) to Epiphany (the fullness of light) is held before us each year. It is a promise of healing, of becoming whole. We are all broken. We all need to be healed. As I have prayed this for others, I have turned it inward and it too has become my prayer.
+Ab. Andy
For many reasons this has not been an easy Advent for me—physically, psychologically and spiritually. Toward its end I have been more introspective than usual. The little cycle of prayers in our Way of Living have been helpful.
The prayers are these:
That all people will be ready for the coming of God
That all nations will know the realm of God
That the broken will find healing from God
I have been struck by these requests and, this week, I have turned them toward myself. It has helped me look at my own readiness, my own apprehension of the realm of God, and my own need for healing. In all three areas I have realized a great lack. In other words, it has been very challenging, as I have daily made these requests for others to realize that I have the same needs.
Readiness for the Coming
The coming of God is an extraordinarily rich idea. It is one of those word pictures that contain so much. It speaks of something not yet but soon to be—like the birth of a child. It is something of the greatest importance—like the visit of a sovereign or president to a lowly village. It suggests that great change is on the way—like the coming of spring after a hard winter. For all of these “comings” preparation is essential. The coming of God is like this only more so. What that coming is or may look like I have no idea. Yet, this week it has felt to me near and very real. I wonder if this is what St. Benedict meant when he urged his monks to “keep death daily before one’s eyes”? Surely, in death is one of the ways of the Coming of God. Benedict urged preparation, readiness, for who knows when that will be. As I thought about this in this fourth week of Advent I has a stark realization that perhaps I am not ready for the Coming.
Apprehension of God’s Realm
The realm of God is the realm of love, for God is love. Where we find love we find God’s realm. Hell is the absence of the realm of God. Hell is where there is no love. Hell does not exist in itself; it is mere negation of love, a deprivation of love. Hell, evil, and the devil have no positive existence. They are ways of speaking of the absence of love. (This was Augustine’s great insight.) To know the realm of God is to know love. This speaks to me of the apprehension, or realization, of love as the knowledge of God’s realm. During this Advent I have become aware of how little I have apprehended love. To know more love is my prayer.
Brokenness
Part of the difficulty of this Advent season has been my own realization of brokenness. I am not whole and desire to be so. The promise of Advent (longing) to Christmas (birth) to Epiphany (the fullness of light) is held before us each year. It is a promise of healing, of becoming whole. We are all broken. We all need to be healed. As I have prayed this for others, I have turned it inward and it too has become my prayer.
+Ab. Andy