Advent Reflection – Come, Lord Jesus

Come, Lord Jesus

Advent is offered to us as a time of waiting, a time of quiet pondering, an invitation to open our hearts and lives anew to the coming of Christ. Richard Rhor says that there is a need for an adult Christianity and that the message of Jesus is so urgent that we cannot allow the great feast of Christmas and our Advent preparation be watered down.

Furthermore he says ‘the suffering, injustice and devastation on this planet are too great to settle for an infantile Gospel or Jesus. Jesus taught us that the reign of God or the kingdom of God asks a great deal of us personally- surrender, simplicity, solidarity with suffering.’  Daniel O’Leary says ‘we need a spirituality that discloses the presence of the incarnate God, in the midst of this seeming chaos, a language that gives hope, that helps us to see and recognise moments that resonate and give us glimpses of eternal and universal truth.’

Advent is a time to focus our anticipation on the Eternal and Cosmic Christ, beyond and before the child in the manger. Richard Rhor says ’Jesus is the concrete and personal embodiment of Universal Love. Christ is the blueprint and icon of God’s loving presence and plan—always and everywhere. It is to this adult and cosmic Christ that we say, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).’

From the moment of our universe’s inception, along the slow stages of evolution, and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we see that life is headed somewhere good. We can trust that death simply brings new forms of Love making itself known.

And the Word  became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . For of his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. —John 1:14, 16

This is a journey that invites us to contemplation, Come, Lord Jesus, the Advent mantra means that we begin with an emptiness which essentially means we are wide open to grace, to surprise, to challenge, invited to be creative participants, a call to full consciousness.

Come, Lord Jesus is an invitation to hope, to be awake, to live in the now with expectant faith that Christ will come again into our personal dilemmas and into our suffering world. Our waiting needs to reflect on how we are living our lives in preparation for ‘Christ being born daily’.

Let’s invite Mary to accompany us during this time of Advent

Magnificat of Waiting for the Fullness of Time

My soul reflects quietly on your fullness, and my spirit grows stronger in the hope of your promise, God, my redeemer, because you have filled me with the knowing that you are alive within me.

Yes, day by day through the course of time, my awareness of the call to blessed fulfilment increases for you have done great things in me.

Holy is this time and patience is your gift to all who nurture the seed of your love. You have revealed the hollowness of achievements and have opened in my heart a space filled with simple loving moments.

My hunger you have satisfied, my excess you have ignored. You are my help as I remember your tender love for me, for we have touched each other, you and I and we have made promises.

I remember your tenderness for all that you have begun in me and in those with whom I walk
and I respond with all that I am becoming in this hour and in all times to come.

Ann Johnson

What does it mean to you that God is coming to birth in your life?
What words and phrases caught your attention?
How can you make this prayer your own?

Creator God, you are in the still place at the centre of my being.
May I like Mary, be open to your Word.

Like Mary whose heart was open and true;
Filled with the grace to hope and believe.
Alive to your Spirit, awake to your call
Ready with courage to answer with joy.
Alive to your love         

                                                                                                James Maher MSC

Art by Australian FMM Sister Maria Van Galen

Mary, woman of truth- Be our guide
Mary, woman of strength-Be our guide
Mary, woman of courage-Be our guide
Mary, woman of risk-Be our guide
Mary, woman of openness-Be our guide

We invite you during this Advent to join with all our communities spread thinly across five continents yet held as one in our commitment as CP Sisters and walking into the future with hope, each called to grow as we create a future together.

You might consider writing your own Magnificat and sharing it through the blog. If you have difficulty writing perhaps you can share with someone and record it so it can be shared.
We need the wisdom of all.