Advent is a season of self-examination, of looking at ourselves with honesty and seeing what difference Jesus really has made to who we are, what we say, and the way we act. Have we encountered and received the grace and love that is always offered us, or are we stuck in old patterns of self-hatred and judgement of others? Am I free or still trapped in prisons of my own making? Am I ready for Jesus’ coming to heal the wounds of the past and transform my life and the life I share in community?
As we prepare our hearts, I think this poem based on the Beatitudes by Scott Cairns provides a wonderful meditation that can invite the light and wisdom of Christ into our self-reflection.
Blessed are the wounded but nonetheless kind,
For they shall observe their own mending.
Blessed are those who shed their every anxious defense,
For they shall obtain consolation.
Blessed are those whose sympathy throbs as an ache,
For they shall see the end of suffering.
Blessed are those who do not presume,
For they shall be surprised at every turn.
Blessed are those who seek God in secret,
For they shall hear his voice rising as a pulse.
Blessed moreover are those who refuse to judge,
For they shall forget their most grave transgressions.
Blessed are those who watch and pray, who seek and plead,
For they shall see, and shall be heard.
From Anaphora by Scott Cairns Copyright © 2019 by Scott Cairns
Grace and peace to you in your Advent journey.
Sue+