Pray, study, act: First week of Advent, Dec. 1-7

PRAYER - STUDY - ACTION

For the first week of Advent, December 1-7

Friday, November 29, 2024

“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12, the first Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024

Dear Judy,

Weeks after Hurricane Milton’s landfall in early October, Tampa -- where my wife and I live -- was still recovering: fallen trees, downed fences, and stacks of yard debris were on nearly every street corner. Yet even amid the storm’s destruction, nature’s resilience is evident. Only days after this Category 3 whirlwinded by, our battered Bleeding-heart vine had already begun to unfurl new tendrils – proof of nature’s persistent drive to flourish.

This brings to mind Leslye Colvin’s poignant question from Pax Christi USA’s Advent and Christmas reflection booklet: Have you noticed new life emerging from seemingly dead stumps? Or observed a chrysalis or a hummingbird's nest?

Yes! because hope for us sojourners reveals itself in countless ways. At times it cajoles or simple surprises, showing up in an unwavering belief that our world will arc toward peace and compassion. Hope manifests itself in the courage that rises to meet adversity, the wisdom to discern the message of these times and in the strength that carries us through darker days.

Around this time of Thanksgiving, I think of the Indigenous peoples whose story is woven deeply into the fabric of this land. Their journey — marked by profound hardship yet sustained by remarkable resilience — continues to unfurl. By listening to their voices and truly understanding the many storms they have weathered, we can cultivate deeper compassion and transform ourselves into more effective advocates for positive change.

FOR REFLECTION:

In what ways can you “increase in love” today, as St. Paul suggests?
Can you take a moment and imagine how your spiritual growth truly has an impact on those around you?

In peace,

Daniel Francis

Development Director

Pax Christi USA

PRAYER

Above the clamor of our violence

You word of truth resounds,

O God of majesty and power.

Over nations enshrouded in despair,

Your justice dawns.

Grant your household

A discerning spirit and a watchful eye

To perceive the hour in which we live.

Hasten the advent of that day

When the weapons of war shall be banished,

Our deeds of darkness cut off,

And all your scattered children gathered into one.

We ask this through him whose coming is certain,

Whose day draws near:

Your son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

One God, for ever and ever.

Adapted from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers

>>Join us Monday evenings over Zoom from 8:30-9 pm for an Advent evening prayer service with Pax Christi USA members from around the nation. Click here to register. The service on December 2 will have a special focus on Indigenous solidarity.

>>Join Leslye Colvin, author of Pax Christi USA's 2024 Advent booklet, "Seeking Wisdom's Light," for an online retreat offered by the Cranaleith Spirituality Center, held for three Tuesdays in Advent, December 3, 10, and 17. Sessions are $25 each or $60 for all three; discounts available for students. Ask about scholarships, too. Click here to register.

>>On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus (PCYAC) will host its online Advent retreat for peacemakers 20-39 years old. Use this link to register.

>>"Advent, Christmas & Epiphany Prayers and Rituals for Families, Small Groups" includes Advent wreath rituals, Christmas tree blessings, Epiphany blessings and more.

>>Pax Christi Southern California hosts a Peace and Justice Mass every Sunday at 4 PM Pacific. Join in person at the St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care, 1911 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles OR via Zoom. Use this link to find the Zoom link.

STUDY

The power of active nonviolence

Four webinars from the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence

During the October 2024 gathering for the Synod on Synodality in Rome, the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence offered four seminars and additional opportunities for dialogue and discussion at the Istituto Maria Santissima Bambina near St. Peter's Square. For those unable to attend in person, the seminars were livestreamed on Pax Christi International's YouTube channel and recorded for later viewing. Use these links to watch the sessions. (The first session was not recorded on YouTube.)

A new wave of movements is coming, from Waging Nonviolence

"...[E]ven amidst our feelings of sorrow or hopelessness, we can recognize that political conditions are not static. ... There is no better antidote to hopelessness than action in community. ..." Use this link to read the entire essay.

ACTION

>>For those in the Washington, DC area, join us on Thursday, December 5 at the lighting of the national Christmas tree. We will walk to the ceremony with a Christ in the Rubble tableau while singing ceasefire Christmas carols. Join us anytime between 4:30-7pm near the White House Ellipse at 17th and D St. NW. Please share this flyer with your churches, organizations, networks, and neighbors. Use this link to let us know if you can join us (not required).

>>Christ in the rubble toolkit - As we spend the next few weeks anticipating the arrival of the Christ Child, Palestinian Christians and their neighbors are enduring suffering and war. Use this toolkit to organize a “Christ in the rubble” creche this year.

>>Take a stand for the Holy Land, a campaign from the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace – includes resources for parishes for education on the history and current reality of Palestinian Christians.

>>Advent Not Arms, from Churches for Middle East Peace -- One of the practical ways we in the US can contribute to peace and security in Israel-Palestine is by calling on the US government to suspend arms sales to Israel. Use this link to send a message to Congress to suspend arms sales to Israel.

>> This Advent, use "Preach Palestine, Advent 2024: Hearing the cries of the Holy Innocents," from Friends of Sabeel-North America.

And please give what you can to Pax Christi USA's Advent-Christmas Appeal. You can give quickly and securely online by clicking here.

This is our year-end appeal and every donation helps us as we plan for the future of our movement. Thank you!

Pax Christi USA

Weaving threads of peace for more than 50 years

202-635-2741 | 415 Michigan Ave NE, Suite 340, Washington, DC 20017

www.paxchristiusa.org