Daily Advent Reflections 2024 (Week 4)
A Season of Christmas Images
to Help Nourish Your Soul
Week Four (Love)
Welcome to these waning days before celebrating the birth of Jesus. As you are making your final preparations, regardless of whether you’re feeling frenzied or calm, joyful or sad, inspired or discouraged right now, perhaps a spiritual pause will help you restore balance and focus. These images, words and symbols that lead to Christmas and beyond could serve as the Spirit’s invitation to slow down for a few moments and be prayerfully aware of what God may long for you during these days. As you read and pray, listen with your heart for the Holy Whisper. Blessings to you for a Spirit-filled Christmas week.
Sunday, December 22
LOVE
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of love on our wreathe. Love is both noun and verb. As noun, it often suggests what you gratefully receive from God and each other; as verb, it animates what you choose to freely give. As Christmas approaches, the love you both give and receive honours Divine Wisdom: God is love; when you love, you live in God (gJ 1:4)...
a Christmas gift (noun) you can keep on giving (verb).
HLoving Creator, you breathe life into me, along with the capacity to love as you love. With Jesus in my heart, I choose to travel these closing days of Advent in your love.
Monday, December 23
INNKEEPER
The innkeeper is a figment of our imagination, a fictional creation of pageants, not included in the Bible story of Jesus’ birth. Still, he may help us wrestle with our attitude as Christmas nears. Sometimes portrayed as hardhearted turning Mary and Joseph away, and other times as compassionate helping them find a place in his stable, the innkeeper compels us to be mindful when pleas from this generation’s dispossessed beckon our response.
Compassionate and responsive Spirit, I struggle because the plight of the unfortunate is neverending. Encourage me to pause long enough to remember them in prayerful, empathetic ways.
Tuesday, December 24
MANGER
At some moment this Christmas Eve, an innocent, holy newborn will be laid gently in your soul, if your imagination will allow it. Like a feed-trough to cattle, your soul is essential to your spiritual wellbeing; it is where and how you are fed. The Christmas legend is centred on a cattle-crib where a miracle sleeps, ready to awaken and grow and inspire your faith. “Away in a manger” is more than a beloved carol; this manger is the cradle of your soul’s destiny.
“Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay close be me forever, and love me I pray.” Awaken and grow in my soul today, and inspire the everyday living of my faith.
Wednesday, December 25
NATIVITY
Nativity simply means birth; but in our Christian faith, that word is all about Jesus and who he is for us. However you celebrate Christmas today, try to locate the Spirit of Jesus deep within, where and how Divine Love is being born anew in you. And allow those spiritual instincts to guide you in your interactions throughout the day, the rest of this season, into the new year. May Christmas blessings abound!
This day I honour your birth, Beloved Christ-child. Help me feel you deep within and inspire me in ways of kindness, humility, empathy and generosity as your Christmas present to me.
Thursday, December 26
ALMS
Charitable giving to others experiencing need is an ancient custom. The Old English word, alms, meaning compassion or mercy, was associated with the boxes in churches to collect those financial offerings. One custom describes opening those boxes on the day after Christmas and distributing the contents to the poor, hence “Boxing Day.” When you reflect on it spiritually, how do you feel about our present-day observance compared to that original intent?
Merciful and Caring Saviour, in this season largely shaped by commercialism, restore in me the spirit of Boxing Day, and move me to engage in some soulful act of mercy toward others.
Friday, December 27
EPIPHANY
In Christianity, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, acknowledging the later arrival of Magi who followed a star to Bethlehem to honour Jesus sometime after he was born. On a spiritual level, Epiphany suggests a subtler perception of the true nature or meaning of an experience in often simple yet striking ways. During these 12 days leading to Epiphany, the Spirit invites you to ponder how this journey is awakening your awareness of the Holy One within.
Holy One, continue to awaken within me the true nature of this spiritual passage I am traveling. Strengthen me to carry on and encourage me to trust that you accompany me along the way.
Saturday, December 28
WONDER
Try to recall a recent moment that took your breath away – that feeling of gentle surprise mingled with reverent awe, often accompanied by tears. It feels sacred doesn’t it, like Creator is within you? Wonder is God’s gift to you of noticing goodness all around you as you wander through life. This year’s Daily Advent Reflections and Prayers have been dedicated to savouring these blessed moments. And may your new year be wonder-full too!
“Teach me, God, to wonder. Teach me, God, to see. Let your world of beauty capture me.” (Voices United)
Your goodness and grace fills all creation and lives deep in my soul. Thank you Wonder-full One.