Dec 09
Simple, Holy Waiting
by Mary McEntee McGill
Holiday preparations seem to begin earlier each year and become more demanding and elaborate. Yet, this is the season of Advent—a time of quiet meditation on the coming of the Lord.
This prayer service reminds us to take time to settle our busy holiday minds and remember the gentle gift we have in the coming of the Christ.
As
you read this you may be working on a gift list, purchasing and
wrapping presents, addressing cards, and planning the decorations for
your homes and yards. Everything about this time of year seems to have
become a marathon of holiday festivities.
This
is a holy time of year, but it becomes easier all the time to focus on
the dazzle. For our prayer, let’s take time to quiet ourselves in
simple and holy waiting.
Centering Point
Keep your prayer table simple. Put a few pine branches around your centering candle, place a ribbon in the Bible at Matthew 6:25-33 and Psalm 19:8, and invite two people to be Readers. Light your centering candle, gather all present, and begin. (If you want to include an Opening Song, you might use “With a Shepherd’s Care” by James J. Chepponis; Singing Our Faith, GIA).
Leader: We have been called to enter into the liturgical season of Advent, to a gentle anticipation of the coming of our Lord Jesus. But at the same time, everything around us calls us to festivities, decorations, and celebrations. Where are we?
We know that the birth of our Lord was not a huge celebration. On that night, the new, young mother received no flowers or balloons—and except for her gentle husband, she had no family to share the event with her. Even her visitors were simple men—shepherds with dusty feet and shabby clothes wondering over the Child they were told was the Messiah. It was a simple event.
Think about simplicity. The word is often understood as describing clear, untouched beauty, like a flower in a field or a bird sailing on the wind. The call to simplicity leads us toward a quiet trust in the goodness of life.
Let us ask ourselves: Can I seek simplicity during the rush of the holidays? Can I free myself from fear that things won’t be as festive and beautiful as they “should” be?
First Reader: Matthew 6:25-33 (do not worry; God provides)
Leader—Reflection: Are there things right now that keep you from enjoying simplicity? (Pause) Are there ways you can connect with the beauty of simplicity during Advent? (Help the group explore examples of ways to live with simplicity during Advent.)
The Lord instructs us to put our trust in him, not in things that dazzle. If we put our trust in flashy things, we become like those things—all flash and no genuine beauty. Remember that our God is infinitely simple, and therein lies true beauty.
Second Reader: Psalm 19:8 (there is wisdom in simplicity)
Leader—Closing Prayer: Loving God, the birth of your Son was the most exciting birth in all of eternity. It also was one of the most common, innocent, modest, and simple. Help us to remember that as the world lures us toward the sparkling decorations, the gracious feasts, and the numerous gifts, your Son calls us to quiet simplicity. May we let go of the stress of the holidays and rejoice in the simple beauty of your Son, who came that holy night to give us eternal life.
All: Amen.
Live simply—and have a wonderful Advent and Christmas!
Mary is the Pastoral Associate for Religious Education and Liturgical Education for Holy Trinity parish in Dallas, TX. She is the author of Stories to Invite Faith Sharing (Resource Publications).
Source: CATECHIST Magazine, November/December 2008
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