Advent Thoughts

Seeing the Wisdom in the Symbols of the Christmas Story

• We remember that God broke into time and history in human form that first Christmas.
• We long for God’s on-going breaking into our own lives in the presence of Christ.
• We allow God to be born again in our hearts, in our lives, in our world.

The figures and symbols of the Christmas story still hold wisdom for us:

Mary:

• Openess ( receiving the message of a spiritual reality)
• Honesty (she speaks her doubts and fears to God)
• Willingness ( she says her YES, I am available to serve the Lord).
• Courage ( she faces criticism being an unwed mother in her culture, hardship in her pregnancy and birth.

In what ways or situations do you long to be like Mary or need some of these attributes?

Joseph:

• Listening to his deepest self (an angel in a dream leads him to act in the face of culture by not breaking his betrothal to Mary)
• Trusting God’s guidance (He takes Mary and Jesus on the road to Egypt)

In what ways do you long to be like Joseph? Where do you need to face truth, act boldly? For your own behalf? Or for others?

The Donkey:

• Our animal self – stubborn, strong, simple, physical
• And serves others.

Are there areas in your physical life that need tending to? That need nurture?

Or are you serving with no self-nurture?

The Innkeeper:

• There’s no room in the inn

How busy is your life? Where do you long to have more space for being, for birth, for newness to happen.? Ask God where to make more space?

The cave (stable):

• In this “make-do” place something of significance happens.
• In this messy situation something new begins.

In what messy situations in your life will you look for Christ to break into? Invite this.

Imagine also a place in the world that needs this divine intervention –see the Light of Christ breaking through.

The Shepherds:

• Rejects of society are the first to hear the “Glory to the Newborn King”
• Wanderers who lived on the edge of society hear the good news?

What does this say personally about the parts of yourself that you reject? And what about your attitudes to those who you consider “outsiders”?

The Wise Men (or Kings):

• Seekers looking for true fulfilment.
• Givers of precious things

What does it mean for you to follow your star? What vision guides you?

What giving comes from you?

By Jean Sweeney,
Former St Charles Pastoral Counselor