Isaiah 29:17-24Matthew 9: 27-31 In today’s text from Isaiah we have several images of reversal. ‘In a short time, a very short time,shall not Lebanon become a fertile landand fertile land turn into a forest?’ A radical new society is promised where creation is transformed and societal structures reformed. Together these reversals will make communal …
Category Archives: Monastic
First Week of Advent, Wednesday
Is 25:6-10 When I made my Solemn Profession in 2000 our artist, Sr Regina, made me a card with the text; ‘On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.’ I think this …
First Week of Advent, Tuesday
Isaiah 11:1-10Luke 10:21-24 When the Church lays before us texts from the Prophet Isaiah during Advent we are invited into several different thought worlds. Firstly, there is the thought world of the text in its original context. Secondly, there is the thought world of the early Christians who heard these texts as anticipating the Birth …
Monday, Advent Week One (A)
Isaiah 4: 2-6 As we begin Advent the Church lays before us a range of images as guides for our journey. We are invited to tune our ears to the voices of the prophets and to hear afresh a call to find in God’s word a personal call to conversion and the promise of salvation. …
First Sunday of Advent (A)
Isaiah 2:1-5Matthew 24:36-44 Each year as we celebrate the liturgical cycle, I am grateful for the opportunity to take stock and refocus my mind and heart. We begin Advent with Isaiah’s prophetic vision of all nations gathering in peace. Isaiah invites us to imagine the peoples of the world being restored to unity. It’s a …
With Lighted Lamps
Priest and Poet, Malcolm Guite, has put together a beautiful poetry anthology for Advent. You can find this on his blog linked below or in his book, Waiting on the Word. There’s poem for each day. The first is Christina Rossetti’s Advent Sunday. ADVENT SUNDAY BEHOLD, the Bridegroom cometh: go ye outWith lighted lamps and …
Praying Advent (4)
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MESSIAH’S COMING The liturgy of Advent now turns its full attention to the coming birth of the Lord. The antiphons concentrate on it: for example, the entrance antiphon, “Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the Just One; let the earth …
Praying Advent (3)
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT THE MESSIANIC AGEThis Sunday is marked by a note of joy. The joy has two causes: the proximate coming of the Lord in the Incarnation and his return at the end of time. The readings emphasise the presence amongst us of the Messianic Age and the Kingdom. The theme of the …
Praying Advent (2)
PREPARE THE WAY The gospels chosen for the Second Sunday of Advent all have as their theme the preparation of the way of the Lord. John’s urgent warning has echoed throughout the world ever since he spoke it, and as it reaches us today it has a twofold reference: prepare for the Lord’s coming at …
Praying Advent (1)
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENTWATCH AND PRAYThe words ‘vigilant waiting’ capture the mood of the First Sunday of Advent. This expectation is hopeful and is seen in the entrance Antiphon: ‘To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame.’Foremost in the Church’s mind …