1 DEC
December 4
Resting in God’s Love
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Ephesians 2:8
Reflection
We are surrounded by God’s shield of love.
Having faith in God that He will protect us and gives us the rest that we need.
So many things are out of our control, but God is in control of everything.
Even though we at times may experience storms in our lives, we can rest in God’s perfect love.
Because He not only holds us, but he holds it all. Ephesians 2:8 pinpoints the central Christian belief in salvation by grace through faith, shifting the focus from human effort to divine love and mercy.
This indicates to us that we receive God’s gift of salvation, not by our own merit or works, but by placing our trust in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice.
This understanding adopts a sense of rest and peace, as we are freed from the burden of trying to earn our salvation and can instead rest in God’s love and grace.
Millicent Dews TSSF
European province
Reflective Action
Light a Candle in Silence
Light a single candle and sit with it in stillness.
As the flame flickers, let it become a sign of Christ’s quiet presence.
Breathe deeply and whisper in your heart:
“My hope is in You, Creator God.”
Stay with the silence for a few moments longer than feels comfortable.
Franciscan Quote
“And so it is clear that the whole world is like a single mirror full of lights presenting the divine wisdom, and like a glowing coal emitting light.”
St. Bonaventure
Collations on the Hexaemeron, Franciscan Institute Publications, 2018, p.104)
Prayer
God of quiet hope,
Inthe stillness, meet me.
In the waiting, hold me.
In the silence, shine your light.
CULTURAL insight
‘Marie te po’ is about as close as you can get in the Maori language to Silent Night
Marie te po, tapu te po,
Marino, marama
Ko te Whaea, me te Tama,
Tama tino tapu ra
Moe mai i te aio,
Moe mai i te aio.
Marie te po, tapu te po
Ka kite nga hepara,
Te koröria o te rangi
Me nga ahera Hareruia,
Kua whanau te tamaiti
E Ihu te Karaiti
Peaceful night, holy night,
calm, bright.
By the mother and the Son
the truly holy Son there
Sleeping in peace,
Sleeping in peace
Peaceful night, holy night.
Shepherds behold the glory in the sky
and angels’ ‘Halleluiah.’
The child that has been born
is Jesus the Christ.
Awaiting the First Spark
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.”
Ephesians 2:8
developmental markers
week 8
In the womb
- Size: 1.6 cm (0.6 inches), raspberry-sized.
- Fingers, toes, and facial features forming.
- Muscle movement begins (unfelt by the mother).
- Internal organs continue to develop rapidly.
in the mother
- Pregnancy symptoms like nausea, fatigue, and heightened emotions may peak
- Deepening sense of wonder and vulnerability
- Physically invisible to others, but spiritually profound work is underway
reflection
What astonishing changes are happening in the darkness of the womb.
Now about the size of a raspberry, yet tiny fingers and toes are now forming.
Facial features begin to emerge: eyelids, ears and upper lip.
There is a development ofmuscles and beginning to make slight movements – though still too small for the mother to feel.
Today we wait not passively but attentively. We trust that God is shaping life in the hidden places of our lives : bringing into focus the faces we often don’t see, weaving our stories with his.
Whatever age we are, God sees us becoming the person we are called to be.
wonderings:
I wonder how it feels when we see something afresh or for the first time
I wonder what hidden parts of ourselves God is still forming
Journaling Prompts
If you keep an Advent Journal, here are some ideas you could write about;
Today, pause and consider where in your life are you striving to earn what can only be received?
What would it look like to rest, truly rest, in the knowledge that you are already loved – before you’ve achieved a single thing today?
You may try a visual response to the questions.
Maori
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