Today’s Black Friday.
Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving.
Which day matters more in our buy-buy culture?
The Boston Globe landed with a thud yesterday, jammed with inserts and ads.
The mailbox’s filled with more of the same, plus catalogs.
This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, a calming choice, a way to combat the frenzy and commercialization of Christmas
We’ll still ourselves to heed words recited while lighting candles, reading familiar passages from the Bible, praying and singing Carols.
Ritual wraps the season in beauty and wonder, quietly gifting us with the pace of Grace.
We wait in hope for Jesus.
Not passive wishing, but active hope that takes stands against evil, refuses to spread despair, looks for ways to make better what has been made worse, seeks ways to love anyway.
Yesterday we sat around the table and passed the basket containing slips of paper on which we’d written things for which we were thankful. None were things. All expressed gratitude for family, friends, God, a dog or experiences., like having just a half day of school on Wednesday.
Remember that joy?
It’s Black Friday, a good day to enjoy time with you.
You spread hope.
In two more days, many of us will light the first Advent candle, Light for dark times, Hope for our deepest pits of despair.
Advent’s God’s Holy Hush, a time for the quaking shepherd in all of us to hear again, “Fear not.”
All will be well.
Yesterday, Poco read these words from a prayer,
“Life is short and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who make the journey with us. So be swift to love and make haste to be kind.”
May this Season of Advent find us rushing to “gladden hearts, love and be kind.”
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May I steal the essence of this and repost? I’m happy to credit you but I will change the specifics of location, family, and dinner table conversations.
Thank you! And a peaceful Advent to you, dear Jan
Thank you! And a peaceful Advent to you, dear Jan!
Hi Jan, I’ve joined your list!
What a beautiful sentiment, Jan. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a peaceful Advent.
Reading this made my heart sing, Jan. Thank-you.
Wishing you a much-blessed Advent season..
So good. What a dichotomy Thanksgiving and Black Friday are – who ever put them right next to each other on the calendar anyway?! Thank you for these words full of grace and deep truth. I especially love: “Ritual wraps the season in beauty and wonder, quietly gifting us with the pace of Grace.” Blessings upon you as we approach the precious season of Advent dear Jan. <3
Advent is a time of penance, though shorter than Lent. Christmas is 12 days, not one.
When my daughter was small, she got little presents for twelve days, sometimes a little toy, sometimes a book. In the beginning, she didn’t care as much for the books, but she eventually became an avid reader.
More importantly, we taught her than giving is an economy of charity, not a one-day binge on Dec. 25. Each day is a celebration, e.g., Feasts of: the Nativity, Dec. 25; St. Stephen, Dec. 26; Holy Family, Dec. 27; Holy Innocents, Dec. 28; St. Thomas Becket, Dec. 29; St. Sabinus, Dec. 30; St. Sylvester (who called the Council of Nicea), Dec. 31; Mary, Mother of God, Jan. 1; Ss. Basil and Gregory Nazianzen (defenders of the faith against the Arians), Jan. 2; Holy Name of Jesus, Jan. 3; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (American saint), Jan. 4; St. John Neumann (American saint), Jan. 5; Epiphany, Jan. 6. Children and adults need more Christmas, not less; there is a reason there are 12 days of Christmas!