Month: December 2022

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Advent Word 2022, Day 11 ‘Winnowing’ 簸選

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Winnowing #簸選 ‘You’re a newly harvested grain of wheat. Suddenly you’re lofted, soaring into the air with your neighbors. For one hallowed moment, the wind holds you, then winnows you free of the tight shell that held you. You settle to the threshing floor, now a seed, ready to be winnowed again because a new husk, or maybe the old one, forms, even as you await your sowing. Emmanuel stands with his fork and his broom, sending you up again into the wind’s embrace, then sweeping away that chaff which bound you. Always ready and waiting, with love, for … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 11 ‘Winnowing’ 簸選

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Advent Word 2022, Day 10 ‘Welcome’ 歡迎

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Welcome #歡迎 ‘As we prepare our hearts and minds to welcome Christ in this season of Advent, we are called, in turn, to “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you.” The deep truth of Welcome is seeing the other, and Jesus modeled this way of seeing for us. He paid attention to what was going on around him, especially those people he encountered daily. Jesus saw the other with a heart of love, compassion, and forgiveness, and he invites us to do the same. Deep holy hospitality requires intentionality, and we bear witness to God’s grace … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 10 ‘Welcome’ 歡迎

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Advent Word 2022, Day 9 ‘Rain’ 雨

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Rain #雨 ‘We all relate to rain in a unique way—depending on the hour of the day, the season and our geographical region. The rain may burst on us unexpectedly, or she may arrive while we are gathered to pray for her coming. Whenever she arrives, we’re grateful for her gift. Occasionally she may destroy everything in her path, uncovering injustices and warning us about climate change. More often than not, though, she brings with her moments of peace. Deep within our souls, let us wait for the rain excitedly, knowing that her coming is a gift of divine … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 9 ‘Rain’ 雨

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Advent Word 2022, Day 8 ‘Delight’ 喜悅

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Delight #喜悅 ‘What makes delight different from joy or gratitude? For, me it’s the surprise of it. Delight sneaks up on me unawares, bringing a smile to my face before I even have a chance to realize why. Delight might arrive the first time I notice something beautiful—spring’s first crocus, my baby’s first smile—but it might also show up in a familiar sight or sound that I find myself delighting in all over again. Isaiah tells us that God’s promised child will delight in the fear of the Lord. What would it feel like to have God’s justice, God’s … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 8 ‘Delight’ 喜悅

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Advent Word 2022, Day 7 ‘Unity’ 合一

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Unity #合一 ‘Jerusalem might have been built as a city that is at unity with itself, but you have to look pretty hard to see unity there these days. It’s almost always that way. We see unity as an aspiration rather than a reality. In our hope for unity, God gives us a gift. As we prepare for Christ’s return, we can look for a common hope and mission even amidst all our variety and diversity. Unity is not uniformity. Unity is, above all else, a shared hope in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 7 ‘Unity’ 合一

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Advent Word 2022, Day 6 ‘Ready’ 做好準備

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Ready #做好準備 ‘Ready? I holler up the stairs, hoping the kids will hear the urgency. But they’re kids so they drag their feet, one last TikTok to watch, a few more seconds under the warmth of a blanket. But then I think that they are not so unlike me—especially when it comes to Jesus’s call for us to be ready. In Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples “You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” I’d prefer to know the exact time and date and until then, stay in my cozy corner. … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 6 ‘Ready’ 做好準備

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Advent Word 2022, Day 5 ‘Make’ 做

Catherine Lee

#AdventWord #Make #做 ‘Make a plan, make a change, make a difference, make a promise. Make memories, make the most of it, make something of yourself. To make something is to act upon it, to bring it into being. It is intentional, purposeful. What are we being asked to make this Advent? Or is that the wrong question? Would it be better to consider what God is trying to make of us? What is the Maker making here, now? We can work so hard to develop ourselves, to get closer to the life we have imagined. Is it possible that … Continue reading Advent Word 2022, Day 5 ‘Make’ 做