Category: Advent Waiting

Discriminating Joy “It is discrimination, the ability to choose between one good in life over another, that the liturgical year parades before our eyes over and over again, year after year, until we finally develop enough maturity of soul to tell what lasts from what pales, to discern what’s worth having from what isn’t, to… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/20/23

Joy “We come to realize more each year how great are our blessings, how beautiful is a life lived in concert with the Jesus who came to show us the way. We learn the joy of anticipation, the joy of delighting in a sense of the presence of God all around us, the joy of… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/19/23

Wherever the Way May Lead “If we only listen for God in church, we will miss half of the message. The good news is always beginning somewhere in the world for those with ears to hear and hearts to go wherever the way may lead.” The birth of Jesus wasn’t noticed or announced in the… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/18/23

When the Magi left Herod, they followed the star, not knowing where or for how long they would continue traveling. Not surprisingly, when the star finally led them to the end of their journey, they were overjoyed. When we reach the end of our journey, it’s important to acknowledge the destination. Especially if it’s not… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/17/23

For Those Who Have Far to Travel, by Jan Richardson If you could seethe journey whole,you might neverundertake it,might never darethe first stepthat propels youfrom the placeyou have knowntoward the placeYou know not. Call itone of the merciesof the road:that we see itonly by stagesas it openbefore us,as it comes intoour keeping,step bysingle step. There… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/16/23

Our Companions and Guides Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, the author of Kitchen Table Wisdom, said, “Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.” I think “pursuing unanswerable questions in good company,” is a good definition of pilgrimage! For Reflection If you look… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/15/23

Bethlehem, Not Jerusalem The Magi were on a journey to find a king. They went to Jerusalem since that was the expected place to find the King of the Jews. But the king they sought was not there. After what must have been a long, arduous journey to get to Jerusalem, they packed up and… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/14/23

A Cold Coming We Had of It The first stanza of the poem, The Journey of the Magi (by T.S. Eliot), imagines the hardship of the Magi’s journey. A cold coming we had of it,Just the worst time of the yearFor a journey, and such a long journey:The ways deep and the weather sharp,The very… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/13/23

Life is a Pilgrimage Fr. James Martin provides more insight on our pilgrimages: “But all of life is a pilgrimage. We journey alongside others, notice God along the way, and are graced with surprises, until we finally meet the One whom we long to see. God is with us in all our life’s travels and… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/12/23

Pilgrimage and Prayer Fr. James Martin offers this perspective on journeys: “A pilgrimage is a journey undertaken for a spiritual purpose. Often it is to a holy site like Jerusalem, Rome, or Lourdes…But the journey itself is often illuminating: tired, removed from our daily routines, and surrounded by new friends, we are invited to move… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/11/23