Once Thanksgiving rolls around, I start thinking about Christmas gifts, treats to make, cards to send, decoration to put up and the like. Advent can seem like a chore. That is the point of the meditations I have been listening too. It is very realistic, acknowledging the current state of the world. The hope is to help the listener/reader find peace in the midst of it all. Today I appreciated a couple of statements from Caryll Houselander’s book, “The Reed of God”. She says this:

“Advent is the season of the seed: Christ loved this symbol of the seed. The seed, He said, is the Word of God down in the human heart.”

That’s my heart and yours. And the members of your family. And your co-workers. And the person on the street corner holding up a sign. And the stranger, the refugee. The book goes on to say;

“Advent is the season of the secret, the secret of the growth of Christ, of Divine Love growing in silence. It is the season of humility, silence, and growth.”

I think it is possible to obtain humility, silence, and growth during this season. It will require perseverance in prayer, discipline in not going overboard or expecting too much of myself, and making time for silence to allow God to speak to my heart. Everything that is worth doing does take work. I’m planning on doing that work.

I Found God today in a reflection on Advent.

Here’s another photo from the Shrine of Our Lady of Champions. Many people came from long distances praying for a cure to their ailments. Those who were cured of some physical affliction left their crutches behind. This is a small sample of the implements that were hung around the whole church at one time.