Dear People of Faith,
Having grown up on the southwest coast where the sand dunes of the Namib Desert reaches the sea, there are a few rivers that flow east to west from the high plains towards the ocean. One, the Kuiseb River, often floods during the rainy season. So, when my family took a day trip to go garnet hunting, we often did this activity in the riverbed. Our bodies would be bent over crouching close to the ground, focused intently looking down in to the dusty sand for black pebbles which when polished revealed the true colors of the garnet semi-precious stone.
I remember my parents telling my brother and I to be on alert. Be watchful! At that time, we never really understood why but thinking about this memory now, they were informing us of flash flooding that may happen, and you just didn’t know when that would show up! And as you know, flash floods are very devastating.
In this season of Advent, we are told to “stay awake” or “be watchful”– in other words, to keep our eyes, hearts, hands, and minds on Christ on the hope of his coming. So, what would prevent you and me from staying awake?
Could it be the obvious …that we are tired or exhausted. Or could it be the hussle and bussle of the purchasing of gifts, putting up the Christmas decorations, fighting traffic after a long day’s work? I’ve been there, have you?
In this holy season of waiting, anticipation, and hope, we are tempted to turn from the life‑giving way. When we do, our experience of God’s presence grows faint and the distance between us and God seems to widen. Without that grounding, our attentiveness cannot endure. And so our watchfulness wanes, and we nod asleep.
But here’s the thing. God does not give up on us! God instead invites us to do something different. Over the remaining two weeks of Advent, God invites us to stay awake! How are you and I going to do that? To be watchful? To be alert? Below are some suggestions.
🌿 Practices of Prayer and Reflection
• Daily prayer rhythm — setting aside time morning and evening for quiet conversation with God.
• Lectio Divina — slowly reading Scripture, listening for a word or phrase that speaks to the heart.
• Breath prayer — short prayers repeated with the rhythm of breathing, e.g., “Lord Jesus Christ… have mercy on me.”
🕯 Embodied Spirituality
• Silence and stillness — resting in God without words, allowing the soul to settle.
• Walking meditation — moving slowly and attentively, noticing creation as a sign of God’s presence.
• Sacramental awareness — treating ordinary acts (eating, washing, greeting others) as holy moments.
🤝 Community and Service
• Worship with others — gathering in liturgy reminds us we are part of a larger body.
• Acts of service — helping those in need grounds us in compassion and humility.
• Shared storytelling — listening to others’ journeys strengthens empathy and connection.
📖 Spiritual Disciplines of Focus
• Journaling — writing prayers, gratitude, or reflections to clarify what God is teaching.
• Rule of life — creating a simple framework of commitments (prayer, rest, service) to keep balance.
• Fasting or simplicity — letting go of excess to remember dependence on God.
Each of these tasks is like a rope that will keep us connected to God especially when life feels scattered. Select 1 or 2 and do them. In doing so, you will tether yourself to God.
We don’t know when Christ is coming. So, friends, stay awake. Be watchful. Look for the beautiful garnet —that Garnet that is the Christ-Child!
Blessings,
Rev. Anne