Saturday, November 28, 2009

Daily Office Reflection: Advent Eve

Psalms 137:1-6(7-9), 144 * 104; Micah 7:11-20; 1 Peter 4:7-19; Matthew 20:29-34

We are at the end of the church calendar year today. We begin Advent tomorrow! A new church year in which we switch "years" in both the Sunday lectionary and Daily Office lectionary. We change colors for what we wear. We start the church year in this season of Advent, where we have readings that provide us with the tension between contemplating the coming of the Prince of Peace and the End Times, Jesus' coming again.

Some view Advent as a "mini-Lent", a mini-penitential season. Others view it as a time for quiet reflection and preparation on the gift God gives us on Christmas: the Incarnation. Whatever this beginning season is for us, we are given a clue of what we should be thinking about in today's Gospel selection from Matthew, where Jesus asks two blind men what they want him to do for them and they say, let our eyes be opened.

That small phrase is a good one to think on today, this last day of the Season after Pentecost, this Advent Eve. What have we closed our eyes to this past year? What should we open our eyes to this new year? What should we try and focus on this Advent? Let our eyes be opened.
jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

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