The Adoration Of The Shepherds, 1622 by Gerrit van Honthorst He did not wait... till hearts were pure. In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt. to a world like ours, of anguished shame he came, and his Light would not go out. Madeleine L'Engle " First Coming " In Advent we have waited in darkness for the coming light. Sometimes the darkness feels harsh and overwhelming. Sometimes it creeps up on us and silently smothers our joy. At other times it can feel more pu

[ A seed contains all the life and loveliness of the flower, but it contains it in a little hard black pip of a thing, which even the glorious sun will not enliven unless it is buried under the earth.  There must be a period of gestation before anything can flower.   Advent is not only a time of growth but also a time of darkness and hiding and waiting…and trust.   For nine months Christ grew in His Mother’s body.  By His own will she formed Him from herself, from the simplic

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, th

Seeds are full of potential. The tiniest beginnings can lead to unimagined outcomes. They represent growth and transformation and new life. Every seed contains the potential for a future plant. The divine seed was planted in Mary and though she had no idea of the outcome, she trusted the message given to her, but not without some questions. She had faith that what was happening to her would bring forth fruit. She embraced the moment with courage and hope though she was una

The Annuncation by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937) Angel:   Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.  Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary:   Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.   Luke 1:30-32, 38 Mary Considers Her Situation What next, she wonders, With t

Mother Root by Jan Richardson The second week of Advent invites us to consider how we are rooted in our identity as children of God. "A root will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots." (Isaiah 11:1) “The Root of Jesse will spring up,     one who will arise to rule over the nations;     in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you …Isa. 41:10 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth …Isa.43:19 God will enter into your night, as the ray of the sun enters into the dark, hard earth, driven right down to the roots of the tree, and there, unseen, unknown, unfelt in the darkness, filling the tree with life, a sap of fire will suddenly break out, high above that darkness, in

This nest is rather messy and crowded. It looks chaotic, not welcoming. There doesn't seem to be room for anything but dead twigs and junk; certainly not eggs or baby birds. The sparrow will need to get rid of some unneeded junk, hollow out a space and soften it to welcome new life. The contents of our nests could be sickness, struggles, tensions, woundedness, pain, sorrow and sadness. It could be busyness and distractions in our everyday lives. It is in the midst of our o

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. Jn 15: 1-7  Jesus proclaims that God loved us long before we could ever begin to love one another. This love is total. It is full and unconditional. “I love you with all my divine heart. I embrace you with all that I have. I send you my inmost self. I want you to breathe my breath. I want you to live in the endless embrace of my love. Here you can find your home. I have made my home in you. You can make your home in me

One of the outdoor paths at Mariawald In between things is the silence that holds everything together. Enter the silence and return to...