01/12/2024

First Sunday of Advent

“Stay awake, praying at all times.”

To stay awake to God’s presence, I try,  first thing in the morning, when  having entered the shower room and taken off my pyjamas to start my exercise routine before taking a shower, I recite a Morning Offering as an expression of gratitude for my life.

It’s very short.  “Loving Father, I offer you the whole of today in gratitude for my life.”

Then there is grace before a meal. “We thank you, dear God, for bringing us together. We thank you for the food and drink – and those who have prepared this meal. May we come closer to each other and thus to you, through Jesus, Christ our Lord. And let us not forget those who might go hungry today.”

On the tube, I often muse: Like flora and fauna, these countless human faces vary in texture, colour and shape, reveal your divine, infinite imagination. Congratulations, dear God.

I never say “God be with you.” Or, “May God bless you.” I say “Remember God is with you.” And “Thank God for his blessings as you allow them into your life.”

Advent is here to help us prepare to celebrate the Incarnation . However, thanks to the events around 2029 years ago – as most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that his birth date is around 4 to 6 BCE – God is even now, Emmanuel. God is with me wherever I am – so I can share my feelings with my best friend Yesh – universally known as Christ.7

As saw last Sunday, we need to repent and allow our perception to chime with the reality of God’s presence that enables us to pray throughout the day.