Advent/Christmastime/Prayer

So this is Christmas....and what have you done? I love that John Lennon song. Although for years, when I heard it, the song depressed me, and I don't really know why. Now I love it, and for me it adds to the joy that is present in the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons.

Christmas has snuck up on me this year. We have been so busy planning a wedding, a honeymoon, and a move, that Advent was upon us before I knew it (maybe because it began when we were on honeymoon. Hmmmm....maybe I was distracted). Years ago some church friends told me that all married couples "backslide" somewhat when they first marry, because they are so into each other and their new life together--i.e. they miss church, don't pray or read their Bibles as much, etc. I have not found this to be true, but I do think they have a point--when we marry we do get distracted, and have to remind ourselves (esp. on honeymoon) to pray and read, and worship as usual (or do the best we can). While in Orlando Shirley and I didn't make church, either Sunday or Wednesday--but I did Morning and Evening Prayer as usual and sometimes we prayed it together, which was good, and rich. We should often pray with our spouses (and children), extemporaneously and liturgically (if it is our habit to pray liturgically). Shirley and I pray the short Compline (or Bedtime Prayers) in the St. Augustine Prayer Book nearly every night, and sometimes she joins me for morning or evening prayer when I pray it out of Augustine's. And we pray together at other times, too. I love praying with my wife, and enjoy hearing her pray.

It's Saturday, and we've worked so hard all week on the hermitage that we're just kind of laying around today. We both have hurting muscles, her much more than I. Tomorrow will be the third Sunday of Advent. We never really finish the fourth week, do we? Advent, we know, means "coming." Jesus came to be in our hearts (and does so daily and moment by moment), will come again, and we will again celebrate this year His first coming next week at Christmas, the Christ-Mass.

All thanks be to God. We wish you a blessed and wonderful Advent and Christmas season, and much joy in your life from Him Who came new as a baby and Who makes all things new.


your brother in Christ,
br. francis
Mercy House hermitage
Warr Acres/OKC