Shepherds

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Shepherds

First     Messengers

Revealing     Proclaiming     Praising

Infant Lying in Manger

Messiah

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Luke 2: 16 to 20

The shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this, they proclaimed the message that had been given to them about this child.

All who heard them were astounded by what the shepherds told them.

Mary remembered all these events and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds went back and gave glory and praise to God for all that they heard and saw for it was exactly what had been told to them.

Reflection

Shocked Shepherds!

A quiet, peaceful night in the fields turns into an amazing adventure. 

They are told by an angel to go and to find a child who will bring salvation. This child will be the Messiah.

What a challenge to believe this. Was this really happening or were they just dreaming?

A multitude of angels gave praise to God. Then they went and found the child.

It was an act of faith.

They trusted in the message that they were given as impossible and improbable as it might have seemed.

They went.

They saw.

They found.

They shared the message. 

The shepherds become examples for all of us. When we are challenged to believe, will we place our trust in God and go and seek Jesus?

The shepherds go to an unlikely place. Why would a Messiah come in a cave and be placed in a simple manger where animals feed?

They put their doubts aside and discover a child who will bring Good News to all. They are not afraid to share the message that they received from the angel with all who are there.

Mary remembered that message about her child.

She pondered it in her heart.

It is a message upon which we also reflect.

God has come among us.

God wants to be one with us.

The Messiah is here!

The shepherds have told us.

Will we share the message? 

1. How do you think the shepherds felt when they heard the message from the angel?

2. What led them to believe in the message?

3. How do you think Mary and Joseph felt when they heard the shepherds share the message that they had received?

4. How can you share the message?

5. What do you see as you ponder Kathy's photo?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

Refulgence

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Refulgence

God's     Imprint

Dawning     Sustaining     Dwelling

Great Light Upon Earth

Heir

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Hebrews 1: 1 to 4

In former times, God spoke in partial ways to those who came before us through the prophets.

In these days God spoke to us through the Son, whom God established as the heir of all things and through whom God brought the universe into being.

The Son is the refulgence of God's glory,

 the very imprint of God.

God sustains all things through the mighty word of the Son,

who brought about the cleansing of sin and

who took His seat at the right hand of God.

He is far above the angels and his name is more exalted than theirs.

Reflection

Our reading from Hebrews contrasts the message that God gave through the prophets and the message from the Son. 

The message from the Son is a message of Light, a Light that dwells among us. It is a Light that can overcome all the darkness---it is bright, it is refulgent.

Through the Son we can see the glory of God. We can know how deeply our God loves us and wants to be with us.

The prophets point us in this direction. They tell us that God wants to bring great joy to us and that God wants salvation to spread to the ends of the earth.

That Good News comes to us in a Person----Jesus, the Son of God. His name is exalted above the angels because He is Emmanuel, God with us.

We embrace that Good News by bringing the Light to everyone we know. We share the JOY of Christmas with each person we encounter.

The Light shines on!

1. How has the Light of Christ come to you?

2. Why does God want to dwell with us?

3. Why is the name of Jesus exalted above the angels?

4. What message do you get as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

 

Incarnation

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Incarnation

Angelic     Message     Sign

Promising     Birthing     Obedience

Fulfillment of the Prophecy

Emmanuel

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 1:18 to 24

This is the way that Jesus Christ was born. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she was pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph was faithful in following the law but did not want to embarrass Mary. He decided that he would divorce her quietly.

An angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream when he was pondering this. The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, do not worry about taking Mary into your home. The child within her has been conceived through the Holy Spirit. She will give you a son and you will call him Jesus, because He will lead His people away from sin."

This will fulfill the words of the Lord through the prophet: Behold, the young maid shall become pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will call Him, Emmanuel. This means "God is with us."

Joseph woke up and followed the words of the angel and took Mary into his home.

Reflection

Remarkable news!

How can this be?

How can God be with us?

This is amazing Good News. God loves us so much that God wants to actually dwell with us and live among us.

God wants to share our joys and sorrows. A child will be born to Mary and Joseph through the working of the Holy Spirit.

This is so unusual and so extraordinary that Joseph can not understand how this can happen. We can all understand Joseph's reaction. This seems impossible.

The angel needs to reassure Joseph. We can not limit the action of God. 

We can only wonder at the plan of God and be astounded at God's generosity.

It is a Love that is so deep and so complete that we are left to both delight in it and rejoice. We are humbled by the Incarnation---God taking on human flesh.

The prophecy was made and is fulfilled. God is true to the Word of God.

So true that the Word will dwell with us and remain with us through sign and sacrament. 

We are invited to follow the path of Joseph: to wake up and to take Jesus into our hearts and into our homes.

Emmanuel is here!

1. How can God come to be with us?

2. Can you understand Joseph's reaction when he discovers that Mary is pregnant?

3. What does it mean for you to follow the path of Joseph?

4. What feeling do you get from Kathy's photo?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)   

Messenger

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Messenger

Prophet     Exulter

Prepare     Repent     Regain

Make Your Hearts Firm

Rejoice

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures: Philippians 4: 4 to 5

Rejoice in God always; once again I say, rejoice. Certainly our God is with us!

Isaiah 35: 1 to 2a

The desert and the land that is all dried up will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bring forth new life. They will be in bloom with overflowing flowers, and rejoice with a song of joy.

James 5: 7 and 8

We must be patient until God comes. Look at the way the farmer waits for the crops. The rains must come in both the early and the late months. In the same way you need to show patience. Make your hearts firm because our God is coming soon.

Matthew 11: 9 and 10

"Then why do you go out to the desert to see John the Baptist? Did you want to see a great prophet? Yes, you did; but he was more than just a prophet. 

John was the one that the prophet Malachi was talking about: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'

Reflection

A messenger is here!

I just think of times when someone came to the front door with a message for the family.

A particular memory comes to mind. It was two days before Christmas and we were waiting for a package from Ireland. We had ordered a special coat for our son, Mark.

Kathy and I were disappointed that it had not arrived. The doorbell rang and our mail carrier was at the door with a big box and an even bigger smile. The coat had arrived!

We rejoiced at the good news. Our readings today speak of a messenger who will bring Good News---John the Baptist.

New life will come with this messenger. Land that was barren will now bloom with so many flowers and crops that we will not be able to count them all!

This will bring us so much joy that we will all start singing. It is the kind of joy that fills us so deeply that we can not contain it.

This deep joy sometimes takes time to develop. We have to have patience and stay the course. It is easy to give up hope sometimes and to feel that God is not with us and that things are not going well.

When we keep our hearts firm, we can see the messenger and hear the message. We can follow the path to truly find our God.

We can see God present in those around us who might need an encouraging word, a helping hand, or someone to listen.

The messenger is here!

It is time to rejoice!

1. Can you think of a time when you received an important message?

2.  What is your image of John the Baptist?

3.  How do patience and joy go together?

4. What is the message you get while contemplating Kathy's photo?

Advent

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Advent

Hope     Peace

Prepare     Recognize     Resolve

Walk In the Light

Awake

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Isaiah 2: 1 to 5

This is what came to Isaiah, son of Amoz, about Judah and Jerusalem.

In the future, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest mountain and it will be raised far above all the hills that surround it.

Those from every nation shall come and the people will proclaim:

"Let us all go up the mountain of the Lord and come to the house of Jacob. God will instruct us and we will walk in God's paths."

The instruction will come from Zion and God's word from Jerusalem.

God will judge the nations and impose conditions on many peoples.

They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nations will not battle and there will be no more wars.

Come, house of Jacob, and walk in the light of the Lord.

Reflection

An end of war!

That would be amazing. If we could sit down as sisters and brothers and work together to feed everyone, educate all, provide housing and medical care, we would indeed be walking in the light of the Lord.

We know clearly what our God wants. How will we respond?

Advent is a time to reflect on our response to God's call. We can take some time, as the people in the time of Isaiah, to listen to the instruction God wants to share with us.

The paths of God are ways of peace and understanding. Maybe we have been too quick to judge others without taking the time to listen to the message that is in their heart. 

Isaiah says that God will do the judging. Our role is a simple one: we are called to take all of our swords of hatred and beat them into the plows that will prepare the soil of compassion and charity.

We are being challenged to become peacemakers in a world that can be violent and full of hate.

Come, Jesus, in this Advent time and fill our hearts with your Peace so that we might share that Peace with each person we meet.

1. Can there really be an end to war?

2. How do you walk in the light of the Lord?

3. What does Advent mean for you?

4. What do you feel as you contemplate Kathy's photo?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions from John J. McNamara)

Prepare

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Prepare

Isaiah     John

Repenting     Enduring     Welcoming

Make Straight God's Paths

Hope

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Isaiah 35: 10

Those whom God has helped will come back and enter Jerusalem with rejoicing, crowned with eternal joy. 

They will come together with great happiness.

Sorrow and mourning will be no more!

Matthew 11: 7 to 11a

Jesus began to speak to the people about John the Baptist, "What did you go out to the desert to see?

A reed swayed by the wind?

Really what were you looking for?

Was it someone who was wearing fancy clothing?

Those who wear fancy clothes live in royal palaces.

Then why did you go out to the desert?

Were you looking for a prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet.

This is what is written by Isaiah that tells us about John the Baptist:

'Look, I am sending my messenger before you; this messenger will prepare the road for your journey.' 

Amen, I say to you, John the Baptist is the greatest of those who were born."

Reflection

Isaiah speaks about a time of great joy. He is speaking about the time when the people will return from the Exile.

It was a difficult time for the Jewish people who had been taken captive and brought to Babylon. They wondered what would happen to them and if they would ever return to their homeland.

Isaiah assures them that God will help them. God has not forgotten and abandoned them. God will lead them back to Jerusalem and there will be great rejoicing.

We learn more about that time of joy in the reading from Matthew. John the Baptist will prepare the way for the Messiah.

Jesus has come to share the Good News and John the Baptist will encourage the people to repent and to prepare their hearts to receive the Gospel.

As Kathy's poem celebrates, Jesus comes to plant HOPE in our lives.

There are times when we might get discouraged and feel that things are getting worse. Isaiah and John the Baptist knew that people could feel abandoned and forgotten.

They both point out that God always wants to lead us on a journey of hope. God will walk with us and give us prophets to point the way.

Enjoy your walk!

1. What has been a time of great joy for you?

2. Can you think of a time in your life when you have felt God helping you?

3. How are you preparing your heart to receive the HOPE that Jesus wants to bring to you?

4. What do you feel as your reflect on Kathy's photo?