Reflection for December 27
Steve O’Connell, With Us, Through Us, All Around Us
I’m gonna break the fourth wall for a moment and say….I love this Advent reflection series so much.
I cannot tell you how many times — as I compiled and read and prayed over these reflections — that I wept. Overcome by the wisdom, truth, vulnerability, and faith expressed by this community.
This year, as you can see, we chose to include author headshots. Take a moment to scroll through these pages; look at all those beautiful faces!
I also felt compelled to — as much as possible — include artwork from the Monastery Gallery. What immense talent we have among our neighbors and friends.
There is so much beauty here.
St. John writes: “𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 — 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒.” He speaks to the miracle of the Incarnation. We worship a God who loves us so much that He became one of us. The Word became flesh. Christ is accessible, tangible. When I look at this book, I am reminded of this truth.
In every one of these reflections, I hear echoes of the voice of God.
In every face on these pages, I see that of Christ.
In every piece of art, I see a creative spirit reflective of our Creator.
I believe, with all that I am, that every person is a living icon. An icon that points us to the miracle of the Christ’s Incarnation…and to the very heart of God.
I hope you (yeah, I’m talking to you now!) know that you are proof of a God who loves. And that Christ is being born among and within us, again and again.
Caelie Flanagan