Advent
Welcome to Advent, the first season of the liturgical year. Advent season honors waiting, of all things—waiting with anticipation. This season also contains a journey, which seems appropriate enough, since most journeys involve a good deal of waiting. Waiting till it’s time to set out … waiting at the airport … waiting for the shuttle … waiting to check in … all the while anticipating, wondering—When does this adventure truly begin? The psalmist says “Blessed are those who have set their hearts on pilgrimage,” suggesting that the adventure began at the first stirrings, the first thought of travel, and that it may begin anew at every step.
This "Garden Goddess" by artist Rachel Gaspers (photo at left) comes inside and sits on my windowsill during Advent, where the light from the window glows through her swollen belly.
When I emailed Rachel about using this image to evoke Mary during Advent, she startled me by replying that she had never thought of her garden goddesses as being pregnant.
Rachel said, "I emphasized her voluptuousness, especially of tummy and legs, because those are such womanly areas of our bodies. However, being pregnant seems comfortably right, because she gives birth to ideas that need to be nurtured into 'adulthood' just like children." You can see more of Rachel's sculpture and paintings at www.rachelgaspers.com.
Homily for the First Sunday of Advent
"Awake to Life" by Margaret D. McGee
Delivered at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Parish
in Seattle, Washington, on November 28, 2010.
These prayers, written by Thomas Robb, were first used at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Port Townsend, Washington on September 12, 2010 – which we called “Launching Sunday” because it started a new year of programs at our parish. To my ears, the fresh tone and moments of surprise in these prayers also make them a good fit for the start of Advent and the new liturgical year.
Leader's words are in plain text. People's responses are in bold italic.
I beg you pray with me this morning for all of the various spiritual leaders of the world, and particularly the clergy of our church whose tasks so often resemble herding cats.
Inspire and strengthen them. Give them boundless patience.
And a sense of humor couldn't hurt.
My sisters and brothers, our political leaders are so often in
over their heads with the problems of the world which are, far
too often, of our own making.
Holy Spirit of God, inspire all of the leaders of our
world to do their best – far better than they have ever intended
or could possibly imagine. Shower them with wisdom, courage and
good will.
News stories weigh us down with worrisome fearful problems; sin
endlessly vexes us.
Our help is in the name of our God who is mercy beyond
imagining. There is none like the Lord our God.
Echoing down these long centuries we still hear the prophet Amos
crying woe for those who trample the needy and bring ruin on the
poor.
Spirit and Advocate, remind us when we are thoughtless and
when our actions or our inactions harm others – even the Other
Nations – all creatures great and small with whom we share the
web of life.
Let us lift up the dying and rejoice with the dead for whom God
has tirelessly searched and now has found.
The race is nearly over for our dying sisters and brothers,
their earthly tasks nearly complete. Lord of life, carry them
away in your arms to join the blest cloud of holy witnesses who
patiently wait for the rest of us to fulfill our tasks and
complete our race.
Father Creator, Jesus the Christ, Spirit Advocate, we lift up
the concerns of our little community.
Oh God, you knew before we thought to ask: Young families
need jobs that pay a living wage. Local farmers need enough rain
in season and viable markets – as do artists and crafts-persons
who work to add to the beauty of your world.
Now here is a poorly kept secret: (feel free to blab it all over
the place.)
In forgiveness is Grace.
In forgiveness we are transformed.
In forgiveness is hope.
In forgiveness we are made whole.
In forgiveness we begin anew.
In forgiveness we are bathed in God's love.
So let forgiveness begin here with ourselves and with each
other.
And let's be hasty to love and profligate with forgiveness.
Bless us Lord and bless our church and community as we turn our
faces toward the bright and ever-green promise of this new
season.
Now let us all shout a loud Amen.
AMEN!
These prayers take language and inspiration from the scripture readings for the third Sunday of Advent, which you can find on The Lectionary Page.
In patience and in hope, (Leader's words in plain text.)
let us offer our prayers to God,
saying with one voice,
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near. (People's responses in bold italic.)
For all who walk in God’s Holy Way: those in the pews and in the
pulpits; those at home and on the streets; for all who ponder
God’s promise in their hearts, and all who carry the good news
into the world,
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
For the nations and their leaders: that eyes may be opened and ears unstopped, and that peace and justice break forth in
every land.
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
For all the world: heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is
in them. For the early and the late rains, and the precious crop
from the earth. For the gathering darkness and the light of
hope.
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
For this community and all who live in it, each member of the
whole body: friend and stranger, parent and child, brother and
sister, widow and orphan. Strengthen weak hands, dear God, and
make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful
heart, Be strong, do not fear!
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
For all who are nearest to you, O God: the lonely, the
out-of-work, the sick, the fearful, the cold, and the hungry. For the one
who is sorry, and the one who is ashamed. It is you, our God of
hope, who sets all prisoners free.
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
For all the departed, and all who remember,
We rejoice with joy and singing
For the coming of the LORD is near.
We are waiting, O God, with all the patience we can muster.
Beloved of angels and archangels, Lover of saints and sinners,
God our Savior, to you alone we pray, Amen.
Scriptural
references
The
call, “We rejoice with joy and singing,” as well as the
references to God’s Holy Way, weak hands and feeble knees,
opened eyes and unstopped ears, and encouragement for the
fearful heart, are all taken from Isaiah 35.
The reference to good news is from Matthew 11.
The refrain, “For the coming of the LORD is near,” as well as
the reference to early and late rains and the precious crops are
from James 5.
The references to heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in
them, and to prisoners set free, come from Psalm 146.
The reference to God our Savior is derived from the Song of Mary
in Luke 1.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
-- Psalm 130: 5-6
What am I waiting for today?
To be reborn myself, of course. As always. To emerge from this brittle cocoon of impatience and doubt. To open new wings and fly. To live purposefully, with faith.
I’m not the only one waiting for this miracle. When I look around me, in my home, community, country, and world, it’s like looking into a great mirror, my own longings reflected back to me, my own impatience, doubts, and fears magnified to a sometimes-frightening degree. At times, the world today reminds me of an egg, with its brittle shell cracking. Cracking because it is brittle, and also because there’s something inside. Something alive, strong, and new, battering its way out.
If so, then we’re living in a new Advent. Traditionally in the Christian church calendar, Advent is a period of inward reflection during the final weeks of Mary’s pregnancy. It’s a time for space to open up in expectant hearts – new, empty space – ready to be filled.
During these
troubled days, it helps me to remember that the time of waiting
in pregnancy does much more than make space for the new thing.
The time of waiting is also the time of gestation. In making
space for new light, I’m also taking part in its creation.
In this season of Advent, dear God, for the sake of new life, let me look ahead with courage and love. Let me act not from fear, but from faith. And, dear God, out of my impatient nature, may I do nothing to rush this birth, but give it time for wholeness. Grant me the patience to wait. Amen.
On December 6, 2008, I joined with some of the women of
St. Hugh
of Lincoln Episcopal Church in Allyn, Washington for an
Advent Quiet Day.
“Blessed are those … who have set
their hearts on pilgrimage.” -- Psalm 84:5
Using themes of journeys and waiting, we shared stories and
prayers, walked a spiral labyrinth, and shared a meal of
soup and bread. The prayers posted here were written at the
Quiet Day and prayed aloud during our closing worship.
Prayers from the Quiet Day at St. Hugh of Lincoln in Allyn,
Washington, 6 December 2008
Dear God:
In each day help me to find a moment to be still, to be quiet.
It is in these moments I can feel you most and then feelings of
calm & peace set in. Help me to be more patient with “in the
meantime” and to trust in you always.
-- Karen
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Peace candle at St. Hugh |
Traveling
on life’s paths
Stumbling, at times on the rocks –
They are cornerstones
Laughter, tears, hope, trust,
Forgiveness despair and love
Life’s – God’s – cornerstones.
-- Garby
O Lord, my God, your creation amazes me,
as I gaze through the empty-leafed trees to the green,
as I listen to the music of the birds and shifting wind,
as I taste the salty air and the composting earth,
as I touch the prickly branches of the pine,
as I take in the smells of multimillion fragrances made by your
hand and passed to me.
Take away my fear of sharing.
Take away my fear of learning.
Take away my fear of creating.
Let me look for you in all things as I continue to be amazed.
-- Wilma
My Heavenly Father,
When I have troubles with my feelings, I go outside. I look at
the sky, trees, hear the birds, rain, or just feel the sun.
Peace comes to me, and there I know you are with me, and I’m at
peace. My Heavenly Father, I love you. I thank you.
-- Carol
O Holy Mystery,
In this great unraveling
occurring in our land
I offer to you the loose
strands of the
fabric of my being
Where all the tangles are
released
May we see clearly the
pattern of our intertwining souls
You in us
We in you
Woven tightly by everlasting love.
-- Robin