SIA; First Wednesday of Advent

Today's Advent theme for the first Wednesday of Advent to ponder is:

Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! Let us rejoice and be glad!

So how might we create a Spirituality in Action (SIA) for today from this theme?

My suggestions are as follows:

• Pray for courage for all priests and religious whose special ministry is to spread the Gospel.
• Look for God in our day today- when in need ask Him to come and save us.
• Review our lives and remember the times God has come to save us. Rejoice and be glad.
• Consider one action that you will take today to express your desire-"Come Lord Jesus".

Today is the feast of St Andrew- brother of St Peter.  Scripture tells us:

'One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
He first found his brother Simon, and said to him,"We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).(Jn 1:40-42)

We might like to consider today who we will bring to Jesus. Do we need to bring ourselves first so that Jesus will give us a 'new name''?

Who will we bring to Christ today/this advent season?

SIA; First Tuesday of Advent

Today's Advent theme for the first Tuesday of Advent to ponder is:


But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.


So how might we create a Spirituality in Action (SIA) for today from this theme?

My suggestions are as follows:

• Christmas is a time of giving, not exchanging gifts.  So if you are not yet predisposed to give a gift to a family member/work colleague, offer a novena of prayers/masses during advent before you walk the pavement for his/her gift.
• We all need healing, but each of us could easily specify whether it is our body, mind, spirit or all three. Why not attend an anointing of the sick mass in your parish. The blessings of God's healing is amazing. We can also revise what we can do to walk our path towards healing.
• If you can assist someone in need today, do so. If you cannot, then offer a prayer for those who suffer from want.
• Plant a new seed in your life-explore a different gift that God has given you and that is yet been underused or dormant.

You may wish to understand more about this scripture quote in my Jesse Tree Series.
A shoot needs caring for before it can shoot and a bud blossoms when it has roots.  
What buds will blossom in your spiritual life during this advent.  What buds of yours will blossom forth this day?

SIA: Monday First Week of Advent

Today's Advent theme for the first Monday of Advent to ponder is:

For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection:

shade from the parching heat of day, 

refuge and cover from storm and rain.

So how might we create a Spirituality in Action (SIA) for today from this theme?

My suggestions are as follows:

• Pray for peace since the love of Jesus is desperately required all over the world.
• Examine my own heart and ask God to enter it throughout the day. A short prayer such as ''Come Lord Jesus' or 'shade me from the parching heat of this day/this moment at my office/home or give me refuge and cover me from the storm and rain of the busyness that surrounds me'.
• Pray that peace may enter all hearts and places where conflict lingers. (eg office/home/parish).
• Resolve that when you address your Christmas cards this year, that you will offer a brief prayer for each of them.
• Visit a church and light a candle for the needs of the world, the need for peace and the needs of those who are homeless.
• Reflect as a family this evening as the advent wreath is lit how God has given you shelter,protection, shade or refuge throughout this day. Offer a prayer of thanks and gratitude.

These are a few suggestions to encourage you to make this advent a time of spiritual growth. 

What will YOUR SIA be today?

Lighting the Advent Wreath

When lighting the Advent Wreath, it should be lit as a circular journey with the fourth candle at the front of  it- the nearest to Christmas. Therefore the first candle will be on the left side of the advent wreath and the fourth on the right.  

In  more recent times, some people prefer to add a white candle to represent Christmas.  However, although this has some practical merit for our home Advent Wreaths, it is important liturgically not to confuse the liturgical symbols- the Advent wreath is specific and associated with Advent with its 3 purple and one rose color candle,whilst the Crib with Christmas.  Should you wish to know more about the history of advent wreath, why not check out my post on it. You will find it under Liturgical Seasons of the Year-Advent

At home, we can use the advent wreath to draw us our families together at the main meal of the day. By lighting the advent wreath candle, it can help us to remember what feast we are truly preparing for- the coming of Christ at Christmas to each of us.  It may help the children focus too on the real meaning of Advent and Christmas.We can also use our advent wreath candle ceremony as a way of remembrance of what we are trying to do ourselves to grow spiritually during this advent season.

Each night the first purple candle is lit by one member of the household and is left burning during the meal. A prayer, either spontaneous or composed, is recited by another family member whilst the candle is lit.  You may use the Opening prayer from the Sunday of the week, or you may prefer to read the theme of the week from the Gospel- 

eg Week 1: Stay awake-you never know when the Lord is coming''. 

You may decide as a family to have a short discussion during the meal on what this means to each member and how they wish to put it into practice during the week.

What I wish to encourage you to do is use the advent wreath as a focus.  How you use it for your family, only you know best since all our families are different.  However, do not let today go past without making a decision about how your family will use the advent season to grow in holiness and to prepare for the coming of Christ.

Spirituality in Action: Advent Series-First Sunday of Advent

 WELCOME TO MY SPIRITUALITY IN ACTION ADVENT SERIES.

 Happy New Year.  Today the Church celebrates its new lirgucial year.  It is a great opportunity to reflect on our past 12 months, and then resolove to grow in holiness this coming year.  However, if you are like me, we cannot leave this to chance or to the whim of the moment.  I need a plan at least. 

As I enter into the quiet of Advent, despite the world's pace quickening in anticipation of Christmas, my plan is to:

• embrace the practice of daily prayer more fully- ie be more commited to it and faithful.
• use moments of the day for reflection  of the theme of the Gospel of the day.
• Light the advent wreath candle at home, bask in its light of hope and allow myself to hear God's voice.
• Use my reflection questions from my opening prayers series Year B to accompany me.

Around the world, the seasons change. In the northern hemisphere advent is celebrated with the onset of the darkness of winter, whilst in the southern hemisphere,advent is close to the commencement of brightness of summer. 
Whether north or south, remember the gospel message for today is universal

 Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

Opening Prayer Series Year B: First Sunday of Advent

The Opening Prayer for the First Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray

(that we may take Christ's coming seriously)

All powerful God,

increase our strength of will for doing good

that Christ may find an eager welcome at His coming

and call us to His side in the Kingdom of Heaven

where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit

one God for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. How will I take Christ's coming seriously this coming week?
2. In taking Christ's coming seriously, what changes will I make to my life?
3. Examine my will for doing good right now and decide what steps will I take to increase its strength?
4. How will I make best use of this season of Advent to give Christ an eager welcome at Christmas?
5.  What gift will I give Christ at Christmas this year?
6. What short term, medium and long term goals do I wish to achieve this liturgical year?

Today's Gospel message is very clear "Stay awake! You never know when the Lord will come''.  This should give us all a knock out of our seats in Church.  However, let us consider it further. 

Consider for a moment when we are sleepy and tired. We are not physically, emotionally, spiritually switched on. We are tired, even exhausted, our capacity to make well informed decisions is greatly impaired since our capcity to concentrate is shot. It is so hard to stay awake when we are tired. We also need to think about why we are tired. Perhaps we have been burning the midnight oil or just so tired that our bodies cannot sleep.

The Church commands us to stay awake. To be awake implies that we are concious at least- hopefully physically, emotionally and spiritually in good condition. Our senses are on heightened alert. Why do we need to remain in peak condition?  Today's gospel tells us 'You never know when the Lord will come''.

We may all had the experience of someone we love dying suddenly. For those left behind, it is a tragedy and great shock because they were not expecting it. I had this experience with the sudden death of my mother earlier in the year.  Thankfully mum was ready to meet her Lord.

The season of Advent gives us time to prepare spiritually for the coming of Christmas. If we only make physical preparations such as the meal, the cleaning, the christmas tree and crib, then we  will lose the benefit of this season. We are to prepare spiritually for the coming of the Lord, not only at Christmas, but for our own meeting with Him when He calls us home. 

Advent too is a time to ponder His second coming.  Advent is a season of hope.  Scripture is quite clear about this also.  Scripture tells us that we do not know the hour or the day of the Lord's second coming. The Church in this season of Advent invites us to be ready for the Lord's coming and look forward to it with hope.

Happy Birthday New Horizons

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY NEW HORIZONS

New Horizons is two years old today. When I commenced the world of blogging 2 years ago, it was a new adventure taken at the beginning of a new decade in my life on my 50th birthday. As I commenced this blog,my desire was to encourage my Catholic brothers and sisters to discover and enhance their Catholic faith.


During these last two years, I have felt excited to post regularly. I have been heartened by some comments and have been able to connect with my readers through the stats. This meant I could see what people were interested in and what countries were having a read.  I wish to thank all readers who have taken this journey with me and I hope you will continue to enjoy following my blog as we journey into 2012.

 From August through to October this year, my posts were less than regular as my mother passed away on August 1.  I have been gutted and the creative spirit and energy left me as I grieved. Thank you for continuing to check in on New Horizons and not losing hope that I would return again.

Please feel free to give me feedback on any posts that assisted you grow in your faith or any posts that you enjoyed reading. I would also be interested in hearing of a topic or series of topics that may interest you, and of course pass on my blog address to your friends and family who may be interested.

If you wish to give New Horizons a birthday present, please click on the donate widget. to the right of the post.   All proceeds will go to a well deserving cause.

I hope you will continue to enjoy following my blog as we journey into 2012. I look forward to posting daily during 2012 and hope and pray that

New Horizons does help you to discover and enhance your Catholic faith.

Compendium Series: creation and redemption

65. What is the relationship between the work of creation and work of redemption? (CCC345-349)

Compendium states:
The work of creation culminates in the still greater work of redemption which in fact gives rise to a new creation in which everything will recover its true meaning and fulfilment.

What does this mean for me?

1. I can thank God for His amazing plan- the work of creation, the greater work of redemption and the new creation in which everything will recover its true meaning and fulfilment.

Questions to consider:

1. Why does the work of creation culminate in the still greater work of redemption?
2. Why does redemption give rise to a new creation?
3. Where is the work of creation, redemption and new creation working in my life?
4. What scripture supports this relationship between the work of creation and redemption? (Romans 8:18-23).

 

About the Mass: Opening Prayer Solemnity of Christ the King Year A

The Opening Prayer for the Solemnity of Christ the King reads as follows:

Let us pray,

(that all people will acclaim Jesus as Lord)

Almighty and merciful God,

You break the power of evil

and make all things new

in Your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe.

May all in Heaven and earth acclaim Your glory

and never cease to praise You. 

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.

1. How do I acclaim Jesus as Lord in my life?
2. How do I encourage others to acclaim Jesus as Lord in their lives?
3. Name one area of my life which I will endeavour to place Jesus as Lord during this coming week?
4. What does it mean to me to acclaim the glory of Christ?
5. How can I never cease to praise You in my life this coming week?

In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us the blueprint for what we should do and why we should do it in order to be placed on His right at the end of time.  Jesus makes it clear that our motivation for helping others is not self gratification or feeling good about ourselves.  No, the purpose of our action is to remember that when we help others, we are to see the face of Christ in those we help, and our actions therefore is done out of love for Christ.

We may think that we do not have opportunities to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick or imprisoned. In fact we do have many opportunites given to us provided we are alert enough and willing to act upon it.  For example, we may think that we cannot help others who are suffering from some natural diaster because we are not physically present to them.  However, we can pray for these people and also provide according to our means, financial assistance.

We may be able to clothe the naked very well if we 

• look into our wardropes and choose outfits that we like to give to charity.  
• choose to buy a simple new outfit to give to charity.

We may feed the hungry when if we:

• prepare soup/casserole/dessert to a family who is grieving in our parish.
• make a cake/slice for a parish cake stall in aid of charity.
• give appropriate advice to someone confused and worried.
• give a hug to someone in need of love and support.
• Help brainstorm with a work colleague on their new project.

Likewise when we visit the sick or imprisoned, we may not be able to visit those in hospital or in prison as such, but there are many in our communities that are sick or imprisoned in some way.

This gospel therefore is one of action, but unless we have first contemplated the face of Christ, we will fail to see the face of Christ in our brothers/sisters- those whom Jesus says are the 'least of my brothers''.

As we come to the end of this liturgical year, we may wish to reflect on how we have grown  spiritually and what areas of our lives need further growth.  We may wish to consider carefully this week devising a plan for the coming liturgical year and set some simple and achievable goals.  As we look back on the year, we may become discouraged in what we have not done or achieved this year.  We can ask God's forgiveness and  make amends where possible. Let us not waste this precious week.  Let us sing in our hearts this coming week:

''Whatsoever you do to the least of my people,

that you do unto ME. ''

About the Mass Series: 33rd Sunday of Year A

The Opening Prayer for the 33rd Sunday of Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(that God will help us to be faithful)

Father of all that is good,

keep us faithful in serving You

for to serve You is our lasting joy.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.

1. What is being faithful to God?
2. What is being faithful to God in my life this coming week?
3. Name one area that I will endeavour to be faithful to God this coming week?
4. What does it mean to serve God?
5. How can I serve God in my life this coming week?
6. What does it mean to me 'for to serve You is our lasting joy'?

In today's Gospel, Jesus requires His disciples to use the talents that He has given to each of us.  Jesus makes it quite clear in the parable that the master gave the servants talents 'each in proportion to his ability'.  Jesus does not expect to be better than what we are- in the sense of expecting us to do better than our ability. However, when much is given, much is expected and as faithful servants we are required not to be lazy like the servant who had one talent and buried it out of fear.  Jesus, in the parable explained to him that he could have deposited in the bank and gained interest given the fact that he was afraid- at least the master would have gained interest.

So what about us?  What is our talent/s?  How do we build up the kingdom of God according to our talent and ability?  As we approach the end of the liturgical year, let us reflect on how we have built up the kingdom during this yea.  After all, we should not emulate the good for nothing servant. If we have buried our talent, let us make a concious effort to unearth it and use it according to our ability whilst there is still time.

Opening Prayer Series: Thirty Second Sunday Year A

The Opening Prayer for the 32nd Sunday of Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(for health of mind and body)

God of power and mercy,

protect us from all harm.

Give us freedom of spirit

and health in mind and body 

to do Your work on earth

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.

1. Why should I pray to God for health and mind and body?
2. What sorts of harm in my life do I need God's protection?
3. What does freedom of spirit mean to me?
4. How do I relate to a person who has a mental illness or is elderely with some form of dementia?
5. What is God's work on earth for me-what is my calling/vocation?
6. How have I grown spiritually during this last week and how might I continue this growth this coming week- what is my plan?

As we get closer to the end of the liturgical year, the focus shifts to the end times and we are invited to consider to think about our own mortality. The Church is not asking us to think of it in a morbid manner- no, but to ignore that death is a reality for us is like the foolish bridesmaids who were not ready.We need to live our life in readiness, since we do not know the hour or the day.  It might be useful to

• consider and discuss your wishes with family about arrangements or desires that you may have about your death and keep them updated of any changes.
• prepare the readings and hymns that you might like is a great help to family members.
• think about tying up any loose ends financially for the family.
• consider making a will or revisiting your current one.
• consider a pre-paid funeral plan.

However, apart from the practicalities, the liturgy is really asking us to consider our readiness spiritually. Remember people in your life who have died suddenly either through accident or through sudden illness. Remember how you felt when you heard of their passing.Perhaps you remember what others said at that time in their surprise or shock.

We have to live each day and do our best since God may decide to call us home today.

If you died in your sleep today or were in a tragic accident, are you ready to go home to God? 

Let us prepare physically, emotionally, spiritually and be ready when we get the call.