Advent Series - New Encounter - Four

The Welcome at the Country Mission - William Kurelek

Sunday Week Two
Lectio	The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Mk. 1:1-8
Meditatio	At the time of Jesus society governed as theocracy – not like a democracy where people make the laws, but by laws laid down by God. The belief was – keep the laws of God and God will keep you. So, when bad things happened to the people, personally or as a nation, it was because they had abandoned the law of God and chose lived their own way. God sent prophets, his messengers, sent to tell the people why things are going badly, and to change their ways. But the people did not always welcome the prophets – often rejected and even killed them. Here in Jesus time, Israel had lost their sovereignty – oppressed by Romans. The prophet God sent this time, to call the people back to law was John the Baptist.  John understood that God had an even greater solution – a Prophet greater than he would soon come. He knows, this prophet would show the people that it was not just a matter changing just their minds but changing their hearts;  obeying God not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Take for example our life in our bodies to help understand the struggle of knowing better and not doing better. Our bodies are governed by God’s laws of nature. Treat our bodies the way God intended and they will be healthy and strong.  Abuse our bodies by indulging in unhealthy, unnatural practices, our bodies suffer. Yet, even knowing this, we still break the laws of our natural bodies. So it is for our life as a society. Even though we live in a democracy and make our own laws, God’s truth, God’s natural law for our humanity still remains the only true way of living. When we for get this, reject this, things start to go wrong.  Jesus said in Mtt. 5: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” He is saying, I have come to put a fire in your hearts that will empower you to overcome your weakness and tendency to sin. John Baptist today telling us he will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. In Luke 3:15 we read, “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” There is a danger for us to simply make Christmas a sentimental time – but it has this much deeper meaning. Jesus is coming to light a fire in our hearts.
Oratio	Jesus my Lord, I confess to you and to all the world my need for your presence in my life. I am alone and in darkness without you. I am influenced and controlled by the many forces that surround me. Even though I struggle against them, it is sin that so easily dominates my life. Who can save me but you alone, my Lord and my God. Deliver me from the Evil One. Touch my life with that power which flows from your resurrection. Cause your Holy Spirit to be born in me anew. Prince of Peace and Lord of Glory reign now in my heart. Baptize me with your Holy Spirit and Fire. Raise me up to a New Life in you.
Contemplatio	"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" Lk. 24:32

The introductory Post to this series explains the approach I am using for this series and the method of prayer Lectio Divina. > >LINK< <

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Advent Series - New Encounter - Three

The Holy Family As Indian - William Kurelek

Thursday Week One
Lectio	Gospel Mt 8:5-11 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."
Meditatio	The Centurion was a member of the occupying forces controlling the land of the Jewish people. Whatever his beliefs may have been, he had come to learn of Jesus’ healing powers. He may not have had the true religion, but he had the right attitude with which to approach Jesus. Humble surrender. Even though he had authority and power, he made himself a little less than the servant for whom he was advocating. With what attitude do you approach Jesus? Is it Lord, my will be done or is it speak Lord, I have come to do your will?
Oratio	O Lord, during these holy days of Advent, help me to examine the condition of my faith. Has it grown from an expectant faith to a faith that expects - because it deserves. So me how pride my have invaded my heart, causing me to think that my faith and devotion are of my own doing and not a work of your grace in me.
Contemplatio	(the Master) … Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told? So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” Luke 17:9

The introductory Post to this series explains the approach I am using for this series and the method of prayer Lectio Divina. > >LINK< <

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Advent Series - New Encounter - Two

A Farm Family's Adoration - William Kurelek

Tuesday Week One
Lectio	Gospel Lk 10:21-24 Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Meditatio	“Seeing is believing”. As believers we are living in a conflicted time. What exactly are the facts in the beliefs we embrace? History questions whether our faith stories really happened, archeology often finds no evidence, psychology suggests myth is often preferred over substance, and some in science suggest an alternate truth. “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." True faith is a gift, a revelation.
Oratio	Lord, what I desire is that you will give me the eyes of a child during these holy days of Advent. How often I have walked right past you, as I searched for you, not recognizing you where right here. How often I heard your voice, your calling, yet thought it was a myth-sayer’s babble. Grant to me now a guardian Spirit as go in search of you anew.
Contemplatio	Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Jo. 14:8

The introductory Post to this series explains the approach I am using for this series and the method of prayer Lectio Divina. > >LINK< <

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Advent Series - Sunday Week One

The Nightwatchman's Christmas - William Kurelek

Sunday Week One
Lectio	Gospel Mk 13:33-37 Jesus said to his disciples: "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"
Meditatio	Two millennia have now passed, the Second Coming is taking longer than expected. But remember Peter’s warning give in 2 Pt 2:3 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. My days are much fewer and each day brings me closer. Each new  Advent reminds us of this. But there is a real presence now – each new day brings a new opportunity to encounter Christ. To which group do you belong, those bored waiting, lost in trivial pursuits, or those who begin each day fully prepared to meet the Lord in unexpected places, in unexpected ways?
Oratio	Lord, you promised to remain with us always. Yet, I live and act as though you are distant and remote, hidden and unapproachable. You have become not a person but an idea, a theology, a subject for debate; something I bring to mind from time to time. Lord, since you are here help me find you. Show me where to look for you; in everyday places, among the people I meet, in that last place I would think to look.
Contemplatio	But Mary of Magdala stayed outside the tomb weeping …  and saw two angels in white sitting there … “Woman, why are you weeping?” … “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”… She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, … Jesus said to … [ you, insert your name ]  Jo. 20:11

With each post I am including a image from the collections of paintings 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.

For additional resources you could visit past Advent posts. On the side panel there is a list of past years. Open a year showing a list of months. Klick on Nov/Dec and open to the posts.

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