Advent is a time when we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas and when we renew our desire for His second coming at the end of time. We should be praying to God for the theological gift of hope that comes from of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and the renewal of that gift in our lives. Hope is essential to the Christian life – it gives us joy, energy, enthusiasm; it makes us smile; it puts a spring in our step; it assures us that with God the impossible can be possible, that obstacles can be overcome, that the gloom can be transformed into light. More, it is hope that enables us to glimpse the joy of our true home in heaven. The weekly reflections below can help us on our journey of faith.
WEEK 1 OF ADVENT
Michelangelo Buonarroti, “Isaiah” Sistine Chapel detail, 1477–83
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In the masterful complexity of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, a cast of figures surrounds the selected scenes of Salvation history. Isaiah looks on the brink of a new thought, an inspired insight that reveals God’s grace in the course of history. As a prophet, his call was to invite God’s people with him into these moments of inspiration. In Isaiah’s vision, all people stream toward this holy mountain, a holy place of peace and reconciliation, where swords become ploughshares and spears become pruning hooks. In these Advent days, what brings us up God’s holy mountain?
WEEK 2 OF ADVENT
Absolon Stumme, “Hamburg Altar (The Tree of Jesse),” 1499
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Absolon Stumme’s 1499 altarpiece presents a mystical depiction of one of Advent’s key symbols - the tree of Jesse. Jesse’s tree is a royal symbol: a lineage flourishing from Jesse through David down the centuries to the birth of Christ, our King of Kings. Crowning this royal lineage, the Christ-child is a strange symbol of sovereignty. He is small, naked, held by his mother - an image of utter dependence. Yet, the words of Isaiah echo here: “Not by appearance shall he judge,” as his reign brings about justice and peace. What hopes do you harbour as we await Christ’s coming this Advent?
WEEK 3 OF ADVENT
Geertgen tot Sint Jans, “Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness,” 15th C
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In this painting we meet the prophet in the wilderness. A lamb keeps him company as John sits on a jutting rock by a creek, heavily cloaked, deep in thought. The scene brings to mind Christ’s own time in the wilderness, a time of prayer, trial, and temptation right after he meets St. John at the Jordan. In these days of Advent, we experience the already and the not yet. We are in the wilderness, yet the life-giving grace of God is always and already there. At the same time, we still await the fullness of glory, the ultimate quenching of our thirst. May our own lives of prayer prepare the way of the Lord within us as we await his coming.
WEEK 4 OF ADVENT
Anton Raphael Mengs, “The Dream of Saint Joseph,” 1773
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In The Dream of Saint Joseph by Anton Raphael Mengs (1773), we meet the sleeping Joseph, who dozes off at his workbench. He is worn out, like we might be these days. His sleep is heavy with the burden of heartbreak and hard decisions, his dreams haunted by the fading hope of a life and family that might not be. For Joseph, his greatest burden will become his greatest blessing. His dream is a consolation to us all in these darkest days of the year, whether we experience the darkness externally or internally. The light of Christ will shine to dispel the darkness - where in your life do you yearn for it most?
CHRISTMAS REFLECTION
Paul Gauguin, “Bébé (The Nativity),” 1896
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The artist invites us into the mystery of the Incarnation in all of its earthy, human intimacy. The Word becomes flesh in the context of this Tahitian scene, where two women, a child, an angel, and some farm animals share a space. In The Nativity, Christ is born. He enters messily into the imperfection of our lives, a gift of himself for humankind so that we may see his glory now and forever. The Tahitian woman is the wise woman who receives a gift instead of bringing it. She does not fully comprehend the mystery but senses its gravity - and how it engages her fully and intimately. She holds the child, the gift, the glory, taking it in. How will she bring his light to the world? How will we do the same?