OPENING PRAYER
O Rising Dawn,
Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice:
come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
O Antiphon
Dawn, unsplash.com
Think in ways you've never thought before
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:8-10)
Reflection
The angelic announcement to the shephersd, Gaddi Taddeo
The sudden splash of fear, as yet unaware that good news is pending. What awaits us may actually bring joy. For those of us who anticipate the worst, eyes flitting from side to side ever alert, here is a reminder to lift our heads and not fear. There is a bigger, brighter story. We are invited to re-imagine our futures and lives in light of good news; to think in new ways, to expect something large. To cross that threshold.
Think in ways you've never thought before.
If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message
Larger than anything you've ever heard,
Vaster than a hundred lines of Yeats.
Robert Bly, Things to think
CLOSING PRAYER
Amidst the shepherds' routine a startlingly message is given. What good news have you been given throughout this Advent? What spur to move on or imagined future has opened up for you, even if it's a sliver?