Today at midday Eucharist I
introduced chanting the Psalms for Advent to our crew – and it was a tender and sacred
moment. It was a simple chant – I don’t
know many chant tones by heart – and we had to practice it a few times, too. But sharing this ancient text in chant opened both our hearts and Psalm 1 to
us in new ways – a very appropriate preparation for the start of Advent. As some of you know, I’ve been playing with
the Celtic Advent calendar – a full 40 days rather than the Roman/Western 28
days – and as Joan Chittister notes, “Advent is a period of preparation for
Christmas but, unlike Lent, it is not period of penance. It is a period that
focuses on joy.” She then goes on to speak of
joy like this:
Joy, the deep-down awareness of what
it means to live well, productively, to live righteously (that is for justice
and compassion) is made out of self-giving, simplicity and
other-centeredness. Ironically, in a
world that finds religion dour, accuses it of being nothing but a list of dos
and don’ts designed to limit our options and trammel our dreams, it is precisely
the journey to joy…” that is what this part of the liturgical season is all about. And we all clearly sensed a connection to this joy in the Lord at the close of today's Eucharist. For me this is already becoming a season of self-giving, simplicity and other-centeredness and my heart is full.
Last night, Di and I had our first "date night" since our summer away in Canada. Given my sister's death, church commitments, memorial services, her surgery, our respective work and music responsibilities, the arrival of a new puppy and the declining health of our old dog, it has been waaaaaay too long since we spent any quiet time together. So we went to the movie: "The Life of Pi." I really didn't know what it was about - nor did my honey - so were we ever knocked out! It is a visually dazzling film about choosing which stories will guide your heart - and life - towards joy. Who knew? In stunning ways, the movie asks us whether we will get stuck in the "facts" or move towards a truth deeper than the obvious?
Like Advent, it is an ode to joy - and after our date I was startled to read the way Chittister concludes her Advent reflection:
The essence of happiness... is having something to do, something to love and something to hope for. At the outset of the liturgical year, the church presents (us) with a a model: a Child who lives only to do the will of God, who opens his arms to love the entire world, who lives in hope of the coming of the reign of God by giving his life to bring it.
... no wonder the church years kicks off with this emphasis.
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