Advent Reflections: Christmas Eve

Love

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:4 

Reflection

 
Take a few seconds and enjoy the silence of this moment. Our journey through Advent has finally come to an end. We've reached our destination. Along the road, we've visited hope, stopped along the way to visit with peace, spent some time with joy, and spent a few evenings with love. These themes of Advent have illuminated our path and guided us as we've made our way to this day. Now is the time to rest. Now is the time to reflect. Now is the time of the realization of our true Christ nature, and allow it to shine as the Star of Bethlehem.  

Take a deep breath and meditate on the spiritual truth from these words from the Book of Revelation. Imagine the essential meaning and implications of this verse. Although this verse refers to the second coming of Christ, I’m amazed that the essential truths apply to his birth as well.  Through our Christ nature, our tears are wiped away. Through Christ, there is no more death, for we all posses eternal life as spiritual beings. Through that spirit, our mourning, tears and pain subside, as we trust in Christ with every heartache and burden. “the old order of things has passed away.” Jesus has come into the world. In the flash of an instant, in a single moment of time, God broke through our earthly realm and became man. He became one of us and in a short 33 years, he dwelt among us. Our burdens have. Emmanuel, God with us. He was with us. He is with us. He will be with us. He has come. Advent.

 I've always felt that Christmas Eve seems to have a magical feel to it. Almost a “real time” sense, as if the events that transpired are about to happen for the first time; and in a sense perhaps they are. Through Christ and our divine nature, all things are made new each day, as well as each year. The reality of Christmas is just as true today as it was over 2000 years ago. And as our journey and time together comes to a close, let us carry that with us beyond the Christmas Season. As we reflect over the last month of Advent, let us not think of Christmas Eve as the end of the journey, but the beginning. Hope. Peace. Joy. Love. All things new. Beginnings.

Prayer

Most Gracious and Loving God, today we celebrate the birth Christ. As we come to the end of our Advent journey, we do so with hearts filled with hope, peace, joy and love. To you we give you all praise and thanks. Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen

May hope, love, joy and Peace be with us all!

Haribol 

Advent Reflections

 

Love

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John 1:14 

Reflection

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” In the silence of this moment, meditate on these words for a moment. Imagine the essential meaning and implications of this verse from the Gospel of John. The God of the universe and of complete perfection came to earth, physically and spiritually inhabiting our physical dwelling. Not by obligation. Not by universal mandate. But because of the depth of his eternal love for us all. So much so that He was willing to leave his heavenly dwelling, and in divine condescension, walked this earth in order to live among us and impart to us the Christ nature. The divine cloaked in the vessel of an infant child. The perfect, living among the imperfect. God and man, complete in both substance and essence.             

During this hectic time of year, it’s easy for us to forget the significance of why we celebrate. Although we may be flooded with reminders of what Christmas is all about, sometimes it is as if the essential truths of Advent fall on deaf ears. Although enjoyable aspect of the season, Christmas is not only about trees, decorations, presents and “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”. It’s not about the Christmas lights, music, parties and get togethers or A Charlie Brown Christmas. While all of these wonderful aspects of Christmas bring joy, warmth and laughter, they are ultimately not what it’s all about.  They are only supplements to the essential truth of Christmas: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

As we celebrate this season with all of the traditions, gatherings and festivities that we hold dear in our hearts, may we celebrate with the knowledge that the God of the universe became one of us, made his dwelling among us, imparted his true nature to us and dwells with us today.            

Prayer

Most Gracious God, as we celebrate Christmas with all the pageantry, tradition and splendor, let us remember that the true reason that we celebrate is that you became flesh and made your dwelling among us. Enable us to remember that as we go from here to there, in celebration of Christmas, that you go with us as well. You divine nature dwells within us. May this be your celebration.  Amen.  

May God bless you. May he keep you. May his face eternally shine upon you. And may he give you peace!

Haribol

Advent Reflections: Love and Winter Solstice

 

Love 

“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” 

John 21:25 

Reflection

Yesterday began the beginning of the Winter Solstice. A time of new energy, new beginnings and a time of healing endings. A time to reflect on both light and dark. A time of reflect on birth and death. A time to meditate on the sacred cycles of our world and the universe. The Winter Solstice is a time to reflect inwardly and the gradual progression from darkness to the anticipation of brighter days; physically and spiritually. It's a time to welcome the silence of the darkness and acknowledge our yearnings, hopes and aspirations to come to fruition.   

Advent encapsulates the same aspects of the Winter Solstice. During our celebration of Advent, we focus our attention on one single divine moment of time, but also reflect on both the past and future and transitions. No other historical event has transformed our world more radically and spiritually. When Christ came into the world, history from that moment on was forever changed. Even the concept of modern time keeping revolves around this miraculous event. Throughout the Christmas Season, our devotion, focus and activities center around the birth of a baby born into obscurity, oppression and poverty. But Advent also carries with it the subtle undertones of death. Advent is about beginnings and new life, but it also encapsulates the natural reality of death. Advent is about transition.  

Christmas is a birthday celebration. Not only the birth of Jesus, but the birth of our Christ nature, and a spiritual transformation of our human existence. As with any birth, Advent is about both beginnings and endings. New life springing forth into humanity, both physically and spiritually and death of the past. All of us celebrate our birthday each year. It’s a reminded of the miraculous moment that we came into the world and the exciting events that surrounded that day. We remember the birth of people we love, honor and respect. Those who still life and those who have passed on to the spiritual realms. We celebrate birth because it reminds us of how precious and miraculous life is, but there is also a underlying aspect of transition and death. Birthdays cause us to reflect on or lives, our mortality, and as we get older, birthdays can become more reflective because our lives become increasingly filled with memorable and life-transforming events.   

Unfortunately, it is quite common that when our Christmas celebrations come to and end, so often does our commitment to the spiritual. Christmas comes to an end and we pack away our decorations for another year, and quite often pack away the realization of our true Christ nature. We return gifts and find room for the gifts that we’ve acquired. As we clean up the house and take a deep breath to relax, we slowly slip back into life as usual. The problem is that some of us proverbially pack up the truth that we are spiritual transitory beings as well. In two short days, Advent will come to an end, and quite commonly, so do our times of meditation.    

“Jesus did many other things as well”. These words from the Gospel of John, give is the opportunity to commit to ourselves, and to one another, to continue sharing these stories in our families and collective communities each and everyday. We do many things within our lifetime. Some carry light that shines and illuminate those around us, and some are enveloped in the dark that draws us inward. May the spirit of Advent encourage us to move forward with this duality of life, and remember that the birth of Christ is only the beginning. The beginning of the realization of the Christ nature that dwells with is all through all seasons of life..                             

Prayer

God of the Universe and All Existence, as we move toward the ending of Advent and observe the transitions of Winter Solstice, let us be renewed in mind and spirit that the celebration of Christmas marks only the beginning of the life of your son, Jesus Christ. After the holidays are complete, let us commit to ourselves to the many other things as well. Let us remember that Christmas marks the beginning of not only the birth of Christ, but his divine nature dwelling within all humanity. Amen.

Peace, Shalom, Shanti, and Eternal Blessings us All

Haribol   

    

Advent Reflections: Love

 Love 

“The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

 Luke 1:35 

Reflection

In the flash of an instant and within the divine intervention of an angelic messenger Gabriel, Mary’s life would be forever transformed. It’s hard to imagine some of the thoughts that must have been racing through her young mind. “Why me?”, "I'm nothing special.”, “I’m far from being good enough”, “I’m far too young”, “I’m not ready for this”, "This isn’t what Joseph and I had planned. How am i supposed to explain this to him?” But yet there she was, facing a choice that was essentially no choice at all. “I am the Lord’s servant,”, Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” God chose Mary. An ordinary young woman, with faults like anyone else, recognized that the love of God, and the Christ nature within us, was about to overwhelm all of humanity and that she would be used as a divine spiritual vessel. 

How often do we question our abilities when God wants to use us?  Instead of recognizing the astounding fact that a loving God chooses to use flawed human beings, we resist; thinking that we know better than the divine. Like all of us, Mary was far from perfect. In Hebrew society, she was a nobody, a poor woman in an obscure corner of Israel. She was afraid, overwhelmed and more than confused.

But in God's perfect, divine and eternal love, he chose her in bring the Christ nature to all humanity. With all of her fears, imperfections and confusion, she heard the voice of the divine, chose not to hesitate and acknowledge that his plan was much bigger than anything she imagined for herself. In love, God chose Mary and in obedience, she was willing to say, “I am the Lord’s servant.” 

During this final week of Advent, may we set aside of our plans, hesitations and fears of imperfection. Let us release selfish desires and turn our focus outward and remain open to God's call for us. May we trust in a God that chooses to use flawed messed up human beings, not because he has to, not because we are perfect, but because of his unconditional love, and nothing more. May we "love one another", without preconceived conditions, expectations, social status or cultural privilege. May we love unconditionally and without fear. 

Prayer

Most Gracious God, who sets the universe in motion, it is in this quiet moment that we acknowledge your presence and perfect love for all of us. We know that we are far from perfect, and we realize that our imperfections sometimes hinder us from the abundant life you long for is all. But as we meditate on your perfection, help us to trust in you and that your decisions always manifest in divine perfection. Give us the strength to step forward when you call, knowing that it is because of your love that you chose us. Let it be only in love that we follow you, and may our love overwhelm all of our brothers and sisters of humanity. Amen. 

Peace, Shalom, Shanti, Salam be will All of You!

Haribol!   

Advent Reflections: December 20

 

Love

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life..”

 John 3:16

 

Reflection

 Today begins the forth and final week of Advent, and we continue our journey together.  Remembering the hope that we have in our Christ nature, the peace that we possess through his nature, and the joy that comes from that realization. We now reflect and meditate on the everlasting, infinite and all inclusive love that God has for each and every one of us. 

What words communicate these essential truths more clearly than this verse from the Gospel of John? These words call to us from the prophecies of the Old Testament, in their fulfillment in the birth of Christ and through his eventual death and resurrection. This common thread of God’s love stretches through the entire message of scripture and reaches out to us in the most essential attributes of who God is.  God is love. And his love is revealed in its purity through Christ. 

 

Love is an all encompassing emotion; bringing both the greatest of joys and the deepest of pains. It’s no wonder that God uses love to illustrate who se is and what his Kingdom is all about. In divine dichotomy, Jesus’ life on earth represented the pinnacle of pain and suffering, and the deepest illustrations of the purity of love. But as we celebrate this final Sunday of Advent, in the quiet of this moment, let us reflect not on the sufferings of life, but on the inexpressible love of Christ. The love that he calls us to reflect to all humanity. Reflect on that moment when God broke through our earthly realm, descended from his heavenly dwelling and made himself a fellow human being. In the first breath that he drew from his lungs, the love of God was revealed in a humble infant. The essence of love was revealed and became an earthly reality.                   

Prayer

Most Loving God of all creation, as we celebrate this final Sunday of Advent, let us remember the deep love that you have for us. In the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ, we truly see the deep eternal love that you have for this world and all humanity. Let us remember that regardless of our circumstances, regardless of who we are, what we’ve done or will do; your love is eternal. Your love is true. Your love is real. Your love is You. You are love. Amen.

Peace, Shanti and Shalom to Us All    

Advent Reflections: December 19

Joy

“When Israel was a child, I loved him,
   and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Hosea 11:1

 Reflection

In the silence of this moment, imagine a moment in life when you faced a particularly difficult situation. Think about that situation and all of the details that encompassed it. Perhaps you felt fear. Perhaps you felt anger. You may have felt frustration, confusion and helplessness in changing your situation. Perhaps you felt a sense of hopelessness and found that faith was difficult to cling to.

Now imagine the moment that you realized that unexpected circumstances were finally going to transform your situation, and what was once an issue of great difficulty was about to turn the corner for the good. Can you remember the overwhelming relief that you felt in the realization that everything was going to be OK? Can you remember the feeling of release as the burden seemed to be lifted from your shoulders? Do you remember the joy that suddenly overcame your fear?

Mary and Joseph also faced a difficult situation. With their new baby boy and the challenges of being young new parents, they also faced anxiety and uncertainty. Fearing that his reign and power would be threatened, King Herod forced this new family to become refugees and into exile. In fear and confusion, they were forced to flee their home in the dark of night and move to a foreign, unfamiliar and unwelcoming land. More than likely, they felt abandon and frustrated, knowing that if Jesus was really divinity in human flesh, why would God have allowed things to suddenly deteriorate? As God had delivered the tribe of Israel from Egypt through the hand of Moses, why would he not deliver them from the same land of captivity?

 

But circumstances changed, as they often do. God intervened and began to set into motion a plan that would change the course of history. Imagine the joy that overwhelmed Mary and Joseph when they finally heard the words, “It’s time to go home.” In perfect timing and within divine circumstances, God illuminated a path in the darkness that led them out of exile. They would finally bring their baby home in safety, and eventually see his Christ nature burst forth for the entire world.

God’s plans, timing and circumstances do not always line up in the way we think they should. They don't always fit the pattern of what we believe our lives are supposed to be. We often find ourselves waiting in our own places of captivity and exile. Our own Egypt. Spiritual refugees. We feel fear, frustration and anger, many times even questioning our spirituality and our very faith in God. But when we begin to see difficult situations change, and the details of God’s plans coming to perfect fruition, the burden suddenly begins to be lifted. Fear dissipates. Anger subsides. And joy overwhelms us once again. 

        

Prayer

Most Divine God, as you brought a poor family of refugees out of exile and revealed the perfection of your divine plan, let us all remember that you are always faithful, you are loving and you can always be trusted. Deliver all of us from spiritual, emotional and physical exile. Even when it is difficult to realize, enable us to come to the spiritual truth that you are our source of joy.

May Peace, Shalom and Shanti be with you all!

Haribol!    

Advent Reflections: December 14: Joy

Joy

“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”

                                                                  Luke 1:30-33

Reflection

Sometimes it is not until our darkest hour that we finally hear the words from God, “Do not be afraid.” We often go about our days, rushing from one place to another, feeling as though we are spinning our wheels. We attempt to conquer our to-do lists, but they seem to end up longer than before. We pay one bill, and two more come in the mail. We strive for perfection, only come to the realization that we are far from it. We finally “get there”, wherever that may mean, only to realize that we are utterly and completely lost. This is the point that many of us know all too well: the point of complete exhaustion. The point when we feel as if we can’t take another step. We can’t handle another responsibility or deal with another disappointment, and then…

Through the silence of this cold morning. Through the pauses for a deep breath.  Through the anxiety and fear. We hear it. “Do not be afraid.”  We've heard it before. The voice that transcends our realty and calls out to you when you feel as if the final wave has crashed over you, and no amount of strength will bring you to the surface. But we hear it. “Do not be afraid,”. And suddenly, when we least expect it, we feel joy and peace. We realize that God is with us all, that his love is infinite and we have found favor with him. We always have through our Christ nature. 

It’s easy to imagine that Mary may have been in a place like this. She had been going about her life as usual, trying to make ends meet and prepare for her marriage to Joseph.  From what we know of this young couple, they didn’t have it easy. Life was not without struggles and fears, and they had both probably accepted that their future would be bit of an upward climb. Needless to say, scripture tells us that Mary was afraid when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her. But rather than first announcing to her that she would become pregnant, and that her baby would posses such an eternal purpose, the angel chose to focus on Mary’s immediate need first. One of his children was afraid and he comforts her in the most essential ,say. “Do not be afraid.” 

           

Prayer

God of the Universe and All That Exists, we thank you for the comfort that you give us when we need you the most. Thank you that none of us have to attain perfection and we journey through the imperfections of life. And as the Angel Gabriel assured Mary that she did not need to be afraid, may we all hear those same words when we face fears, uncertainties and troubles in life. Let us find our joy and peace in you and only you. Amen

 May Peace, Shalom and Shanti be with you all!

Haribol!