This morning’s reflection comes from Paula Mitchell the founder of Doorways: Praying in the Company of Jesus which provides days of prayer and longer Ignatian retreats as ways of deepening our lives with Christ. Paula is the former director of Christian Formation and Direction Ministries Northwest Spiritual Formation 1 & 2 programs and a former faculty member of CFDM’s Spiritual Guidance Program. Her ministry includes individual and group spiritual direction, supervision of spiritual directors, and teaching on spiritual formation, contemplative prayer, and Ignatian spirituality.
Jesus is Near – How do We Draw Close?
As I’ve reflected on this scripture of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, I’m aware that for Mary, the trip to Bethlehem at this time in her pregnancy was uncomfortable, painful, unsettling. The birth in a dirty stable among strangers isn’t the way I would have chosen to have the son of God born into the world or for that matter into my life. Her words to the angel Gabriel, “may it be to me as you say or according to your word”, I wonder are they words you and I can pray? A prayer of assent where we say “yes’ to God drawing near that the life of his son, Jesus, may be born in us, in this Advent season. Mary heard the Word, the annunciation of the birth of God’s Son, spoken by an Angel. I suspect we hear the Word when we make some space to be quiet and slow down enough to reflect on what is happening, in our life and heart, where we waste time being with Jesus, instead of getting things done. This can be dangerous, this drawing near, trusting that in the quietness, the times of solitude with Jesus, new life will be born. It is an assent to a life of simplicity and emptiness. This reminds me how often God asks us to let go and trust, to believe that the life of his Son can be born in the most unlikely circumstances, relationships, places, and times. Mary lives out her faith that the one who conceived this child in her will be in his birth at the stable in Bethlehem. She must have asked why me, why here, why now? When we say “yes” to the mystery of the life of the Son of God birthed in us, we are also letting go of our ideas of what it will take to make this happen. I suspect it will be in unexpected, unseen, and even unrecognizable ways. Mary experienced the birth of Christ in pain, hardship, among strangers in an unlikely place. Yet, the angel greets her with the words, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is will you.” In some translations, he declares, “I bring you tidings of great joy!” The mystery of the life of Christ birthed in our hearts, reminds us that we are indeed favored, the Lord is with us-nearer to us than we are to ourselves, and His birth both in Bethlehem, and in our hearts, is an occasion of great joy.
I would invite you to spend some time in prayer reflecting where God is nudging you to make space for Jesus, the Son of God, to be born in you, to draw near to you, this Advent. May this Advent season bring joy, new life, new beginnings, and new opportunities for the life of Jesus to be born in each of our hearts.
For permission to reproduce, contact the author paulaamitchell@gmail.com
Filed under: Advent, Advent 2010 synchroblog, Christmas, meditation, Prayer and inspiration, Rhythms of life, spiritual practices Tagged: | Advent, Advent 2010 synchroblog, Advent meditation, Paula Mitchell
Dear Sister,
I wonder if you know this quote from Rev. William Sloane Coffin (dec.) of Riverside Church, New York:
“With Mary His Mother, Jesus believed that God has
“filled the empty with good things and the rich he has sent empty away.”
How angry Jesus must be with the way our government is now
filling the rich with good things and sending the poor away empty.
How Jesus would scorn an economic theory that says
we must heap more on the platters of the rich,
for only so will more crumbs fall to the poor.
Never has a government climbed off the backs
of the upper class so fast to tap dance on the backs of the poor.
Never in recent history have we had so blatant a plutocracy:
a government of the wealthy, by the wealthy, and for the wealthy.”
-William Sloane Coffin
Sloane Coffin was one of the last truly great liberal Christian voices, courageously speaking out for the disenfranchised, in the face of terrible inequity. Like his friend, Rabbi Heschel, he spoke with the strong and urgent prophetic voice, a voice which seems strangely silent in today’s church. Where are the true shepherds, raling against such cruelty and idolatry?
I am but one priest. Of course, if the Father wills it, all things can be done in HIM. If we, the faithful turly believed and said to this mountain be thou removed…well, you know the rest.
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