As we light all four candles on our Advent wreaths for the fourth week of Advent, we, like God’s people in past ages, renew our trust in the coming of the Messiah.
For some of us this is a time of finishing a year’s work; for some it is a busy time of making final preparations for the Christmas meal and celebrations; for some it is a lonely time, remembering loved ones who’ve died since last Christmas; for some it’s a poignant time shared with family or community members who are frail or ill; for some it’s an anxious time as they look at unfolding events in our world; for others it’s an opportunity to rejoice and give thanks for all the blessings of the past year.
Throughout this final week of Advent we are invited to focus anew on the extraordinary mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us. God-with-us in the midst of all the events, opportunities, challenges and emotions of our lives.
Let us use these final days of Advent to heighten our awareness of whatever is going on in our lives and how that can bring us to celebrate Christmas.
Brigidine Sisters around the world, our associates and colleagues in ministry, are being invited to wait in hope and to find intimacy with God in the midst of our everyday lives.
Together we pray: Come Lord Jesus.
Name an opportunity you might have in the coming week to be still and to sense Emmanuel, God-with-us.
How will you make time and space to be drawn into this awareness of Divine Energy offering fresh possibilities for life every day?