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ADVENT REFLECTION No.1 from Hong Kong, China by Sister Patricia Byrne
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As I move around the Asia World city that is Hong Kong, I am often intrigued when I see lines of people queuing along the pavement. It makes me curious to know what is so important to them that they are willing to wait patiently for hours. I begin to wonder if I am missing something. Sometimes I find those patiently waiting are in thrall to the latest offer from Prada. Or perhaps a group waiting all night may be camped out in the hope of being first in line to get tickets to the Rugby Sevens. or for thepurchase of a prized Apple iPhone or iPad! These incidents lead me to reflect on myself: I know I wouldn’t be inclined to wait in line to buy the latest handbag from Prada. Rugby Sevens – I can console myself with picking up some of the highlights on television. But for what would I be prepared to wait, not just to wait passively, but with eagerness, even at some discomfort to myself? Each year in December we enter the liturgical season of Advent. It is the time when the Church prepares for Christmas. In Advent we wait for that great moment when God comes into our world as a newborn baby – we relive that event of the first Christmas, and look forward to the coming of Christ at the end of time. We are only prepared to wait for what is important to us. Like the rugby fans, I desire something. Their longing is to enjoy the game. Waiting of its nature is a game of patience. I cannot speed up the process. Waiting slows us down, so that we can reflect on what is significant in our lives. I cannot have Christmas on the first Sunday of Advent, but I can take time to reflect on its meaning in my life as I wait for the fullness of its celebration. The Advent wreath is a symbol of our waiting and our longing. Four candles are fitted into a circular green base. On each of the four Sundays of Advent one of the candles is lit – on the first Sunday one candle, on the second two, and so on as we gradually get closer to the heart of our celebration. ‘Be still and know that I am God’, the Psalmist says. Like the stillness of expectation that settles over the audience as the lights dim before the concert begins, I can lean forward and wait with wonder for what is about to happen. One group of people who know all about waiting are pregnant mothers. Nine months of waiting. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was one of them. She accepted the mysterious invitation to be the dwelling place for the Son of God – Emmanuel. Each advent we are invited to prepare such a dwelling place for Christ in our hearts. For the radio broadcast of this reflection click on link or copy link to your browser: |
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To contact the Columban Sisters, E-mail: weboffice@columbansisters.org |
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