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Advent Recollection

This document discusses how to prepare for the Advent season by focusing on God's presence, which can be surprising, overwhelming, and consoling. It provides examples from scripture of how God's presence was surprising through the annunciation and birth of Jesus, overwhelming for Mary and Joseph, and consoling through the words of Isaiah. The overall message is that during Advent we respond to God's rich presence in our lives through surrender, hope, and tasting the grace of God's salvation.

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1K views

Advent Recollection

This document discusses how to prepare for the Advent season by focusing on God's presence, which can be surprising, overwhelming, and consoling. It provides examples from scripture of how God's presence was surprising through the annunciation and birth of Jesus, overwhelming for Mary and Joseph, and consoling through the words of Isaiah. The overall message is that during Advent we respond to God's rich presence in our lives through surrender, hope, and tasting the grace of God's salvation.

Uploaded by

api-3748756
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Advent Recollection

CIS, 7 Dec 2008


Intro
• Logic of liturgy
• Realities of Filipino praxis

• Since that first Christmas ... "we may no


longer desire God as if He were lacking;
our redemption is no longer a question of
pursuit but of surrender to Him who is
always and everywhere present."
[W.H.Auden]
We prepare … as a people
responding to the rich presence of
God -- a presence with many faces.
• Presence that is surprising
• Presence that is overwhelming
• Presence that is consoling

• Grace: that we taste and savor God’s


saving presence
Presence that is suprising
• Christmas and gifts
• Lk.2:1-14 … gospel of midnight Mass
• Paul Baumann: “Jesus is a compelling
figure to the extent that he is a
discomforting figure.”
– Compelling: has a powerful, irresistible effect,
commanding admiration, respect, attention
– Discomforting: disturbing, annoying
• Dela Costa: “too good to be false”
Presence that is suprising
• “idou”: point of emphasis in the gospels … literal

St John Chrysostom
• “The ancient of Days has become an infant.
• He who sits upon the sublime and heavenly
throne, now lies in a manger. And
• He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple,
without complexity and incorporeal, now lies
subject to the hands of people…
• God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on
every side all things commingle.”
Presence that is overwhelming
• Mary at the annunciation, Lk 1:26-38
• Joseph and his dreams, Mt.
Joseph’s Lullaby
Mary, are you sleeping? Who taught me miracles come true
Mary, I'm afraid Tell me how to guide You
Mary, can I live up to Tell me what to say
The choice that God has made? Tell me how to show You how
Jesus, can You tell me, To show the world the way
Here upon my knee How to please the angels
What kind of father will I be? Watching from above
What can I give to You When all I have to give You is love
You, made from miracles But if it's love You need
That God has given me to keep? You, made from miracles
I can't give much to You Then take my hand and hold it tight
You, made from miracles And I will give You love
But I can hold You as You sleep Sweet, little miracle
What can You learn from me That God has given me tonight
You, made from miracles Sweet, little miracle
When I've so much to learn from Oh, what a miracle
You?
That god has given us tonight
What can a man like me
Offer the miracle
Presence that is overwhelming
• Joseph’s lullaby…feeling afraid,
inadequate, unworthy, confused
• Mary, are you sleeping? Mary, I'm afraid.
Mary, can I live up to the choice that God
has made?
• Jesus: What can I give you? What can you
learn from me? What kind of father will I
be?
• Joseph: I can hold you as you sleep. Take
my hand and hold it tight. And I will give
you love ... all he can do is surrender
Presence that is consoling
• Is.40:1-5.9-11
• Not problem fixing, not relief
• More listening than talking
• Pointing people toward hope

• “Those who believe that they believe in God, but


without passion in their hearts, without anguish in
mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, without an
element of despair even in their consolation, believe
only in the God idea, not God Himself.” Miguel de
Unamuno
We prepare … as a people
responding to the rich presence of
God -- a presence with many faces.
• Presence that is surprising
• Presence that is overwhelming
• Presence that is consoling

• Grace: that we taste and savor God’s


saving presence

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