Our Lady of the New Advent Icon

 (Photo by Lars Hammar)

From House For All Sinners & Saints, an urban liturgical community in Denver, CO:

"This is the icon we created during liturgy over the 4 weeks of Advent. Every piece of this is from "Christmas" ads: circulars, catalogs and all that junk that comes in the mail and the newspaper. We created 1/4 of it each week. An Artist in the community traced the image onto poster board indicating what color should go in each shape. People ages 6-65 cut out the right color from the ads and glued it in the space. Easy and subversive." (On the blog Sarcastic Lutheran, December 29, 2008)

A quite relevant project and words, as we have just come through another "Black Friday" experience. So begins the secular season of the Grinch of Greed, just as (in fact, weeks before, even) the Christian community anticipates the celebration of Advent: how Jesus the Christ came into the world and the condition of a human being: taking on our joys and struggles, eventually running up against the leaders of organized wealth, power, and yes, religion, whose tunnel-vision devotion to their idols constitutes a formidable draw away from commitment to Jesus' values of simplicity, compassion, mercy, and love.

Fr. Pius Parsch, in his Year of Grace, suggests that we take some time just before plunging into Advent to think about three things: 1) the quality of our service before Christ in the past Church year; 2) giving thanks for God's grace and guidance during the past Church year; and 3) rededicating ourselves to serving Christ and our sisters and brothers in the coming "year of grace".


What opportunities have we missed to "cry the Gospel with our lives"? What's at the root of our lukewarm or lazy service? Which of our baptismal vows have we found most difficult to carry out this year?


Christ Jesus has brought us through another "year of grace". We have our lives, both physical and spiritual. We have the reality of Jesus' presence with us still, at this moment. Do we appreciate what this gift really means? Parsch remarks: "Yes, let us readily admit it, we are the true children of fortune." Each of us has much for which to be truly thankful. Nothing good which we've thought, or said, or done has gone unseen. Every prayer, kindness, and good resolve has got God's attention. All that we've suffered, all our anxieties, all our challenges, accepted with faith and patience, have been noted. As the Preface says: "It is truly meet and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O holy God!"


What will the new Church year bring? None of us knows for sure. We do know that we are the "apple" of God's eye; that God gathers us, as a mother hen gathers her chicks under protective wings; that whatever we do this year, small or great, out of love and caring for a sister or brother, we do for Christ.


Pius Parsch concludes: "What is left for us to do? Open our New Testaments and meditate upon the last things as set forth by our Savior: Be always prepared; live your days in the light of the Second Advent. I am sure that such is the spirit of the Church according to the liturgy. By directing our gaze toward Christ's Second Coming, the Church reminds us how to become rich in the fruits of good works and in the increase of patience and perseverance. We may never forget that she wants work to follow words. In the holy Sacrifice [of the Mass] she brings the Lord in His Second Advent close to us mystically...'I am thinking thoughts of peace, not of punishment'...The Cross [Jesus] chose for Himself, but to us He says: 'Come, blessed of my Father'..." 

And, with the people of the ancient Church communities, we say: "Marana tha!...Come, Lord!"