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Friday, December 21, 2018

Reflection for Friday, December 21, 2018

Friday of the Third Week of Advent

SG 2:8-14

ZEP 3:14-18A
PS 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
LK 1:39-45


For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.
-Luke 1:44-45

                  I have had the great blessing to be pregnant during Advent with all three of my children. It was an incarnational experience to walk with Mary, living the scriptures in my body as my child grew and we prepared for its coming. I love Ignatian contemplation – using my imagination to place myself in a scripture story and exploring the scene to learn about myself and my relationship to God. Especially with my second child who was born 3 days after Christmas, I was able to do this…and now I encourage you to do the same.
                  Place yourself in the scene, using all your senses as you read this gospel passage. Are you Mary traveling with child to visit family? Are you a family member or bystander who happens to be here? Are you Elizabeth who cries out in joy in the presence of the unborn child? How do you imagine their voices sound as they speak? What smells of baking for guests reach your nose? After some time of reflection and reading the passage again…What themes emerge from your imaginative contemplation? What do they say about you right now ? your relationship with God? with others?
This passage from Luke reminds me of being pregnant with our daughter Isabella this time last year. My job is to prepare and coordinate the Sunday student liturgies at College Church. And I had a similar experience to Elizabeth during several 9pm Masses, as the child in my womb leapt for joy at the sound of the choir, in particular their beautiful Advent communion meditations. In a very real and tangible way I felt happiness and joy.
This Advent season I invite you to use Ignatian contemplation to have an embodied, incarnational experience of our shared salvation story as Christ is born as a small child and dwells among us. Allow yourself be taken up into the scriptures and to feel happiness and joy that can then be shared with all those you meet this holiday season. Peace to you this Advent season!


Erin Schmidt is Liturgy Coordinator in the Department of Campus Ministry.

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