I’ve always liked the image of advent as a journey. As we journey through the advent season, we encounter many stages: anticipation, preparation, celebration, and reflection, among others. The advent and Christmas stories consist of many physical journeys as well: the wise men travelling from afar, angels descending from the heavens, and Mary and Joseph travelling by donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
When I see this beautiful stained-glass portrait of Mary and baby Jesus, I can’t help but think about the unexpected journey that brought Mary to Bethlehem to give birth to the Christ Child in a stable. She must have experienced so many different emotions- overwhelm and confusion, but also joy and awe.
I think the past two years or so have brought all of us on our own unexpected journeys, often with a mixture of emotions. This past year I moved from Toronto to Calgary for work- a move that I wouldn’t have imagined a year ago. While I’ve also felt overwhelmed and confused by a new city and a new job, this journey has also brought unexpected joys and opportunities for reflection.
As we journey through advent, perhaps we can all reflect on the journeys that we’ve experienced over the past year- the challenges that have enabled growth and learning, and the unexpected joys that we’ve experienced as well.
Below I’ve chosen a scripture
reading about trusting the Lord on our journeys (Proverbs 3:1-6), and The
Journey Prayer, as we pray for guidance on our journey through the advent
season and beyond.
-Elizabeth Polvi
Scripture
Proverbs
3:1-6 (New Living
Translation)
3 My
child,[a] never
forget the things I have taught you.
Store my
commands in your heart.
2 If you do this, you will live many years,
and your
life will be satisfying.
3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave
you!
Tie them
around your neck as a reminder.
Write
them deep within your heart.
4 Then you will find favor with both
God and people,
and you
will earn a good reputation.
5 Trust in
the Lord with all your
heart;
do not
depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he
will show you which path to take
Holy Bible, New Living
Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Prayer
The
Journey Prayer
Originally from the Carmina
Gadelica III, 179
God, bless to me this day,
God bless to me this night;
Bless, O bless, Thou God of grace,
Each day and hour of my life;
Bless, O bless, Thou God of grace,
Each day and hour of my life.
God, bless the pathway on which I
go,
God, bless the earth that is beneath
my sole;
Bless, O God, and give to me Thy
love,
O God of gods, bless my rest and my
repose;
Bless, O God, and give to me Thy
love,
And bless, O God of gods, my repose.
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