1 DEC
December 5
What can I give? Give my heart
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”
Luke 10:41-42
Reflection
What can I give, I to whom so much has been given?
The best we can do is trust in God that opportunities for giving, according to our talents and means, will arise.
Giving presents is pleasurable; most of us can manage to support good causes.
Harder than that is to give time, energy and attention, especially to the lonely, the despondent and the outsider. Think of Saint Francis and the lepers, the good Samaritan, Christ’s attention to the needy. I was made aware of this perspective as a volunteer in a refugee camp in Croatia, when a woman said to me, “We think the world has forgotten us”
Such generosity of spirit can apply worldwide. God has given us the beauty of nature. In response, it is fitting that we respect and conserve the environment.
Generosity has many aspects and few of us can practice it fully. As Franciscans, let us strive to do what is ours to do – Saint Francis’s last command to his followers.
Freda Keys TSSF
European Province
Reflective Action
Giving of ourselves
What one thing might i do for someone today?
Franciscan Quote
“In the infant Christ we see the fullness of divine mercy. Here, even in the poverty of the crib, is the pledge of our hope. God with us, not in power, but in tenderness.”
St. Bonaventure
(Sermon on the Nativity)
Prayer
Jesus,
teach me
what is truly necessary.
Help me
simplify my life
so I can
focus on You.
CULTURAL insight
As Christmas approaches, I find myself drawn to the quiet witness of many Korean Christians who embrace simplicity over excess.
Inspired by their minimalist approach, I begin to pare back: less rushing, fewer decorations, no pressure for perfect gifts.
Instead, I make space: in my calendar, my home, my heart.
In that stillness, I sense Christ more clearly, not in the sparkle of things, but in the hush of waiting.
Advent invites me to live lightly, to let go of what distracts, and to attend to the One who comes gently.
This year, I long not for more, but for deeper presence.
A Quiet Dance
“I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Luke 10:41-42
developmental markers
week 10
In the womb
- Size: Approximately 3.5–4 cm (1.4 –1.6 inches), about the size of a prune or kumquat
- Weight: Around 4–5 grams
- New Status: Now officially called a foetus (Latin for “young one”)
Development: - Facial features are more clearly defined: eyes are formed (though eyelids are fused shut), ears continue to develop.
- Tooth buds are forming under the gums.
- Limbs are longer; fingers and toes are distinct and separated.
- Nails begin to develop.
- Joints (elbows, knees) are functional, allowing limited movement.
- Vital organs such as the brain, liver, and kidneys are developing rapidly.
- The heart is fully formed and beating strongly (about 160–170 bpm).
- Genitals are beginning to form but are not yet distinguishable on ultrasound
in the mother
reflection
Organs are forming. The face begins to take shape. Tiny fingers and nails appear. And though the mother cannot feel it yet, moving, stretching, dancing is happening in the womb.
This reminds us of the hidden joy of the Advent season when we give space for God. In that quiet time we may indeed witness God stirs before we are ready, when Christ begins to move and we don’t yet perceive it. Like Mary, we may carry this promise in mystery. Like Elizabeth, we may not feel the leap of new life just yet. But already, something is happening.
Already, a name is being spoken in love.
Francis of Assisi recognised Christ in every creature. He didn’t wait for power or proof. He noticed the holiness in smallness, the pulse of God in birdsong and breath. Today we are invited into that Franciscan gaze – where the forming face of Christ begins to appear in the hidden corners of our world.
wonderings:
I wonder how you feel about the name you were given
I wonder if you are ever aware of the Spirit of God is moving in you
I wonder how you might make space to listen for the quiet dance of joy in your life
Journaling Prompts
If you keep an Advent Journal, here are some ideas you could write about;
Imagine your soul as a room preparing to welcome Christ.
What does it look like right now?
Is it full of to-do lists, old furniture you meant to give away, things you thought were essential but now just take up space?
Take a moment to sketch or describe it:
What’s in the corners?:
What’s blocking the doorway?:
Where is there dust?:
Is there a chair for Jesus to sit in – or is the room too crowded?
Korea
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