Today is the third Sunday of Advent--a day which marks great joy. We light the pink candle today on the Advent wreath. As I draw nearer to my departure date of January 3, I am filled with great joy and anticipation. There is lots to do between now and then and it will be easy to be distracted from those emotions. I am hoping that won't be the case.
I have been doing some nightly Advent readings. Friday night I read these words of L'Arche founder and wisdom speaker, Jean Vanier: "Celebration is a cry of joy, an acknowledgement that our lives are woven together; it is the joyful recognition that we are bonded together with one another as part of the same body....Celebration is a manifestation and a recalling of our deepest and most important values; it holds up and honours all those things in life that call us to unity and to love." Yesterday I was missioned by my pastor in the presence of my family, friends and fellow parishioners in such a celebration. I know some people are nervous about my trip and I thought it might help them to know that I would be sent off with God's and the church's blessing--blessings for peace, joy, grace, and protection. Yesterday also happened to be St. Lucy's feast day and I can only pray that this saint whose story involves light and vision would teach me to see with the eyes of Christ and to keep my sights on how the Light of Christ permeates this world, even in situations of great darkness.
I also felt it was important to be missioned to recognize the role that the church has had in my life. In the pews of St. Ignatius, I have been shaped and moulded. I heard the call of service and discerned that I should respond to the international beckonings of my heart. Catholics don't normally mission our parishioners; our Protestant brothers and sisters do this much better. However, I felt that a simple ceremony would bless not only me, but those who came. I turned out to be right. I have felt great peace and much joy in these last 24 hours. I also know that those who came were touched by what they experienced. They have begun this journey, which God has placed before us, with me.
I have just finished reading a novel entitled, "This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith , and Forgiveness" by Gilbert Tuhabonye. Gilbert was the lone survivor of an attack by the Hutus on a secondary school in Burundi. He was beaten and badly burned as he hid under the corpses of his classmates as the school was torched. He survived the ordeal by escaping through a window and running away. He went on to compete for the Olympics. I am not sure how many people like Gilbert I will meet but I am sure that my heart will be touched by each story of survival that I do hear. One of the lines from the blessing yesterday was When you go out, may you see the face of Jesus in everyone you meet. I pray this is true. I hope I listen to each story and see in each one, the face of Christ.
Suzanne
I have been doing some nightly Advent readings. Friday night I read these words of L'Arche founder and wisdom speaker, Jean Vanier: "Celebration is a cry of joy, an acknowledgement that our lives are woven together; it is the joyful recognition that we are bonded together with one another as part of the same body....Celebration is a manifestation and a recalling of our deepest and most important values; it holds up and honours all those things in life that call us to unity and to love." Yesterday I was missioned by my pastor in the presence of my family, friends and fellow parishioners in such a celebration. I know some people are nervous about my trip and I thought it might help them to know that I would be sent off with God's and the church's blessing--blessings for peace, joy, grace, and protection. Yesterday also happened to be St. Lucy's feast day and I can only pray that this saint whose story involves light and vision would teach me to see with the eyes of Christ and to keep my sights on how the Light of Christ permeates this world, even in situations of great darkness.
I also felt it was important to be missioned to recognize the role that the church has had in my life. In the pews of St. Ignatius, I have been shaped and moulded. I heard the call of service and discerned that I should respond to the international beckonings of my heart. Catholics don't normally mission our parishioners; our Protestant brothers and sisters do this much better. However, I felt that a simple ceremony would bless not only me, but those who came. I turned out to be right. I have felt great peace and much joy in these last 24 hours. I also know that those who came were touched by what they experienced. They have begun this journey, which God has placed before us, with me.
I have just finished reading a novel entitled, "This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith , and Forgiveness" by Gilbert Tuhabonye. Gilbert was the lone survivor of an attack by the Hutus on a secondary school in Burundi. He was beaten and badly burned as he hid under the corpses of his classmates as the school was torched. He survived the ordeal by escaping through a window and running away. He went on to compete for the Olympics. I am not sure how many people like Gilbert I will meet but I am sure that my heart will be touched by each story of survival that I do hear. One of the lines from the blessing yesterday was When you go out, may you see the face of Jesus in everyone you meet. I pray this is true. I hope I listen to each story and see in each one, the face of Christ.
Suzanne
The above photo taken by Barb Fawcett is from my missioning service. I am wearing a gift knit by our prayer shawl ministry.
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