Advent Series - New Encounter - Five

The Presentation to the Children - William Kurelek 

Tuesday Week Two
Lectio	Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior." Lk 1:39-47
Meditatio	What do you see, what do you hear? Familiar indeed are the popular images of Christmas – most of all the Nativity Scene. Does this image merely invoke a few seasonal sentiments that linger for a couple of weeks and then are packed away with the Christmas decorations? Or does something deeper happen within you, in your spirit, in your heart? Advent is meant to be a new opportunity to encounter Jesus’ presence in our lives. It brings us a new opportunity to hear his voice, calling, instructing, directing us to an even deeper holiness. Yes, I know well these Christmas stories, but at the moment the sound of their hearing reaches my ears, does my heart within me leap for joy.
Oratio	O Lord, a year has passed since Advent last. The joy and expectation that began the year has met with more of the challenges we have been warned to expect. But I hear your call anew, and my heart is once again awakened. I sense your nearness and a new joy rises within me. Come Lord Jesus, come.
Contemplatio	And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

A New Encounter This Advent I have put together a new series of reflections for prayer. The approach I am using is based on the prayer method 'Lectio Divina'.  Each week in the series will have three meditation based on the Word found in the Advent liturgies. The grace we are are seeking in these meditations is a "New Encounter With Christ". Whatever may be our present progress in prayer, there is is always the need to go deeper. As each stage in our progress into the mystery of Christ's presence matures, the Lord becomes hidden again, requiring us to let go of the comfort and security we now know, and embark yet again in search of Him for whom our heart desire. In addition to this approach to prayer, with each post I am including a image from the collections of painting by William Kurelek entitled 'Northern Nativity'. They lend themselves well to the Ignatian approach to contemplation - placing oneself in the scene. What William Kurelek does is place the scene in a contemporary setting. So we have these two approaches to support us as we embark on anew Advent journey in search of a new Encounter with Christ.  For more information on 'Lectio Divina'  I encourage you to refer to this earlier post.  . . . LINK . . .

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