|
Dear Oblates, The Advent readings call us to remember how the spiritual journey of the Christian community was lived out in the past, is being lived out in the present and will be lived as we move into the future. “Thy Kingdom Come” is a prayer that resonates through the past, present, and future in different ways. In the past, it was the cry of the Israelites yearning for the promised Messiah through times of waiting in hope. They were challenged by the prophets and leaders because they had lost their way and forgotten their covenant relationship with God. When Mary and Joseph said “Yes”, the birth of Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God on earth. In the present, as Michelle Francl-Donnay says: “Thy Kingdom Come” is a reckless Advent prayer, one that insists and demands that I: Lift my eyes from my own cares and anxieties Wade into roiling seas of the present day. [division, violence, disrespect, etc.] Stand as a beacon of justice for those battered by oppression Reach out with mercy to those struggling to keep their heads
As we move into the future, we might use Thomas Mertons’s prayer to ask God to stir up hope and trust within us as we wait for the promise of God to fill our life with joy and peace. “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may seem to know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen. Thy Kingdom Come “Advent is a call not to safety, but to shake the world until that day when God’s Kingdom comes in glory.” (M Francl-Donnay) As a community this Advent, let us pray “Thy Kingdom Come” as a mantra as we step out of our comfort zones and open our eyes to the needs of our world. May new birth in Christ Jesus arise within us and through us overflow into our world.As we sing “Joy to the World” on Christmas, may it resound within us and around the world. That is my prayer for you and your families. May you have a blessed Advent and a Joyous Christmas! Peace be with you,
Sister Ruth Ksycki, OSB ** The Reflection by Michelle Francl-Donnay is from Give Us This Day, November 28, 2021
|
