¿QUÉ ES EL ADVIENTO?

Sister Gloria in Peru shares with us what Advent means to her and the community in Peru.

¿QUÉ ES EL ADVIENTO?

El “Adviento” para mi es de esperanza, esperar la llegada de una persona muy especial, importante y amada en mi vida. En esta etapa me gusta alimentar mi alma con mucha alegría y confianza para recibir al Niño Dios en mi corazón. Es un tiempo que me ofrece prepararme para vivir a plenitud la Navidad. En este acercamiento de la Navidad veo el Servicio como una revelación de Dios, porque en el corazón de cada persona se alberga una promesa de paz y amor. Todos nuestros anhelos se renuevan. En los ojos de los niños y de todos brillan las ilusiones. Por un instante el mundo se detiene… y celebra en armonía el nacimiento del Niño Dios.

Este tiempo me lleva a mi pequeñez a Recordar el pasado: a prepararme para celebrar y contemplar el nacimiento de Jesús en Belén, reflexionar en cómo fue su venida en la carne, lleno de humildad y pobreza.

Al Vivir el presente: trato de vivir en el presente de mi vida diaria la "presencia de Jesucristo" vivir siempre vigilante, atenta, a caminar y encaminar a otros por el camino de justicia, paz y amor. A Preparar el futuro: Prepararme, preparar al pueblo, a las familias para que tengamos un espíritu reconciliador para la segunda venida de Jesucristo. Animar a los niños y a la juventud a vivir en valores según el evangelio y lo que hagamos sea con alegría. Lo fundamental es comprender “CÓMO VISITA DIOS”.

Aquí en Chincha nos animamos mucho en preparar las coronas de Adviento con una base circular, ramas verdes y cuatro velas al rededor, este símbolo nos ayuda e involucra a toda la familia a armar la corona, se unen todos para orar, compartir una lectura bíblica, y motiva a los niños a querer participar en el encendido de las velas, en hacer alguna petición o agradecimiento y lo hacen con mucho respeto, cariño e ilusión para vivir el Adviento y su significado.

También hacemos las Posadas: donde tratamos de concientizar a la gente que la unión hace la fuerza: nos ayuda a reafirmar los valores en las familias y de amistad nos ayuda a ser solidarios, sencillos y confiar que Dios está siempre.

Todo aquello nos prepara para la Navidad.

WHAT IS ADVENT?

"Advent" for me is one of hope, waiting for the arrival of a very special, important, and beloved person in my life. At this stage I like to feed my soul with a lot of joy and confidence to receive the Christ Child in my heart. It is a time that offers me an opportunity to prepare myself to fully live Christmas.

In this approach to Christmas, I see “my Service” as a revelation of God, because in the heart of each person there is a promise of peace and love. All our longings are renewed. Illusions shine in the eyes of children and everyone. For a moment the world stops... and celebrates in harmony the birth of the Child God.

This time of Advent leads me to my smallness to Remember the past: to prepare myself to celebrate and contemplate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, A time reflect on what His coming in the flesh was like, full of humility and poverty.

I try to live in the present of my daily life the "presence of Jesus Christ" lives always vigilant, attentive, to walk and guide others along the path of justice, peace, and love. To prepare the future: prepare myself, prepare the people, especially the families I minister to.  Encourage children and youth to live in values according to the gospel, thus doing what we do with joy. The fundamental thing is to understand “HOW GOD VISITS” …continues to come among us.

Here in Chincha we encourage families to make an Advent wreath with a circular base, green branches and four candles around it, this symbol involves the whole family in assembling the wreath, everyone joins together to pray, share a biblical reading. The Family wreaths are brought to the Church to be blessed on the first Sunday of Advent. Each evening the family gathers around the wreath for a brief prayer, parents motivate the children in the lighting of the candles, in making a request or thanking God, and they do so with great respect, affection and enthusiasm to live Advent and its meaning.

 In the basic Christian communities, we also do the Posadas (This is a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s Journey to Bethlehem) where we try to make people aware that in union there is strength: it helps us to reaffirm family values and recognize the importance of friendship, to be supportive, simple and trust that God is always there.

All this prepares us for Christmas.

-Sister Gloria Muchaypiña Salhuana, CSJ, Chincha, Peru

ADVENT REFLECTION

‘As a Mother cares for her ailing child, our God cares for our ailing world.’

Sometimes it feels like our God likes to play hide and seek.  While I know that God never stays in hiding, my heart and desires get lost in the many places of darkness that cry out for light.  We are so little in the face of it all; hunger, homelessness, climate change and all the ways our earth cries out with floods, extremes in temperature and earthquakes.

During Advent this year I am drawn to pray to recognize that hope is still alive in the hearts of the many who seek to offer relief to our needy especially in our City of Peterborough.  One sign of hope that I have seen this Advent are the workers who tirelessly spend time at Kawartha Food Share gathering donations of food and other non-perishables that will sustain families during these times of economic downturn.  Another sign of hope I am noticing are the many non-profit agencies working to resettle refugees; other agencies providing monetary assistance for the flooded areas of the Maritime provinces; and of course, always I am mindful of what is happening in Ukraine where innocent people – especially families and children are being uprooted from their familiar surroundings with assistance coming from neighbors near and far.

Each of these events, dark as they initially appeared, have blessed me during these Advent days with gratitude as I see the goodness of many people working together to restore life and hope.

-Sister Sylvia Crowley, csj | Peterborough, Ontario

Header Image: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

ADVENT - A Time to Say YES

At dinnertime one evening just after Thanksgiving a few of us commented on how quickly the month of October was slipping away and I casually remarked that ADVENT would soon be on our doorstep and how much I loved the Season!  To my amazement, everyone chimed in “I love it too”!  Little did I know that I would receive a phone call the next day from one of our Sisters asking me to write a little reflection on “ WHAT ADVENT MEANS IN MY LIFE”.  Nothing happens by chance…our God is always at work!

ADVENT…a time to say “YES” to my life.  Maranatha, come Lord Jesus, come! Both of these prayers or mantras are implicit in Mary’s Magnificat.  I’m sure that after Gabriel’s visit, Mary was awed and humbled in remembering what God had done for her. Her response, immortalized in the Magnificat, also sings and resonates in my heart.  My soul celebrates Yahweh my God, and I rejoice constantly in LOVE, for all the great blessings my God has given me, one of no renown and nothing to offer nor attract the world, yet greater ones have not received as much. 

Image: Kenny Eliason/Unsplash

As I pondered these words, I was drawn last Advent to participate in a four week circle of friends united in contemplative reflections on our own stories and memories of the faith journeys we have been living.  Modeled on the four weeks of Advent and on the four mysteries of Mary’s life, we reflected on MARY as a LISTENING  WOMAN at the ANNUNCIATION, a WAITING WOMAN at her VISITATION WITH ELIZABETH, a DISCERNING WOMAN at the WEDDING FEAST OF CANA and a PROCLAIMING WOMAN at PENTECOST.  In these four roles, I saw Mary at PRAYER at both the Annunciation and at Pentecost and in ACTIVE SERVICE at the Visitation and at Cana.  Isn’t this the full CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE…PRAYER AND SERVICE? Both are DISCIPLESHIP and faith-filled experiences of her life and ours also.  As I recalled and celebrated my own stories, I realized just how much I too, have been touched and graced by such a merciful Saviour who has prepared great things for me and “called me by name”.

Praised be my God who fulfills all!   

-Sister Maureen Meloche, csj

First Sunday of Advent

Reflection 

Image: Waldemar Brandt/Unsplash

In today's gospel St Matthew tells us, " you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." This calls us to be aware of Christ's presence in ourselves and those around us - that is being aware of the importance ofthe way we speak to, are present to, and treat others.

One evening in late November a few years ago an elder who was not in very good shape came to my door. I will call her Clara. It was cold and stormy, so I brought Clara into the porch and closed the door to keep her out of the cold.

She told me that she needed some chippin (money). Clara asked me for $50 and told me that she would pay me back on Friday. I told her I didn't have any money to give out. She continued to lessen the amount all the way down to a loonie and I continued to tell her that I didn't have any money to give away.

I was aware of what she wanted the money for, and also of her real need - that was food. Finally, I was able to ask Clara if she would like something to eat. With her positive response I prepared a lunch for her, and she happily went on her way.

Awareness brings presence, acceptance, and openness to others and this is what God is calling us to this week - that is being ready because, "we do not know the hour when the Son of Man is coming."

Sister Bonnie Bryson, csj