ADVENTures in Grace: a Journey of Joy
We begin the preparatory season of Advent this weekend and this year we are focusing on the Joy that is proclaimed during this special time of year. Advent introduces us to the Joy that is manifest to the world in our Savior Jesus Christ and continues through The Feast of the Holy Family, Epiphany and The Baptism of the Lord.
To guide us we continue our focus on the pilgrimage, yet acknowledge the unique tones of these sacred weeks that lead up to Christmas. We have titled this season ADVENTures in Grace: a Journey of Joy.
The word ADVENT is a significant part of the word adventure and, very simply put, if we look at the season as an adventure, it is sure to bring us joy.
The readings this weekend accentuate some underpinnings of joy as we hear from the prophet Isaiah that a promise was fulfilled to God’s people from the house of David. Our Psalm proclaims of a lifted soul, and Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians tells us that with the Lord we will abound in love.
The Gospel from Mark begins with an admonition to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man and to look for signs in the stars, sea, the powers of Heaven, the clouds. It exhorts us not to become drowsy amidst both the anxieties and excess indulgence of life. It urges us to be vigilant, and in doing so we may experience the joy of standing before the Son of Man.
As the season continues we will be enriched by images of seeing a light in darkness and the joy of Mary preparing for and giving birth to our savior, the savior that stirred the womb of Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, and stirs the world forever.
We have received so much positive feedback about the first Adventure of our Pilgrimage – An Introduction to Sacramentality.
If you were not present on Wednesday evening, November 10, please go to our website and watch the presentation by Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson, Mary Kelly, Laura Field and myself. You are sure to be inspired and will also be introduced to three formulas that will help us to articulate the power and presence of both Grace and sacrament.
The three formulas are:
I experienced the sacrament of
___________________________________
as mediated by_________________________.
Or
I witnessed the sacrament of
_______________________________________
as mediated by
__________________________________.
Or
Hail___________________________,
full of Grace.
Try it for yourselves. Look for grace and let grace surprise you; then articulate it using these formulas.
For example, I experienced the sacrament of inspiration as mediated by Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson on Wednesday evening. I witnessed the sacrament of innocence as mediated by Brianna Archer when she bravely participated in one of the exercises in the sanctuary, and Hail Holy Family, full of Grace.
Keep looking for grace and sacrament in our world. There is plenty, and in the midst of so much political, medical and racial tension, we need to proclaim the grace that we see, and that will surely bring us Joy.