It is crisp and cold outside, with a light dusting of snow and, for many of us, it lends itself to putting us in the Christmas mood. Decorations are beginning to appear and this week I have been part of many conversations about Christmas parties and gatherings.
On Sunday we will officially enter the Advent season here in the church and begin our count down to the birth celebration of Jesus. This is a time of year that is filled with many different emotions – joy and wonder, grief and sorrow, laughter and celebration, anxiety and uncertainty – all rolled into one. As a result, many find themselves exhausted and heavy. So as we move into this season remember to take time to honour where you are. If you need time to sit and breathe deeply, do so. If you need time to cry, allow yourself that space. If you need time to laugh, open your being to it. Ultimately, remember to embrace the love that comes your way and offer the love you have to give.
The Cave of your Heart
Advent is for us, as people of faith, a time to hear again the story and open ourselves to the birthing of the Sacred in our midst. It is a time of anticipation and contemplation. In her book, In Wisdom’s Path, Jan Richardson shares these words from Sister Doris Klien
“In the cave of our hearts….. in the fabric of our lives….. in the soul of our earth…. you continue, O God to be Born!. We all carry a cave, a hidden place within us, into which God longs to be born. Advent is the season to enter that place, to turn inward and encounter the God who seeks to emerge through us.”
Jan goes on to say that “we are called to enter the cave of our heart, to trace the images drawn on its walls, to find God lying in the details of our lives and then to emerge with newfound wisdom.”
This season prayer for you is that you will take the time to enter the cave of your heart, open your being to the presence of the sacred that resides there, and encounter holy mystery in such a way that you are renewed and reborn, a light that will illumine the path ahead.
Blessings
Valerie
Advent is a beautiful time of year to reflect & embrace life as we celebrate our Creator’s birth