Advent 2011

This Advent, another world is possible…

Advent seems to me to always be a time of new beginnings, a chance to make the world new again, to start over, to do things differently. The biblical readings during Advent often echo this sense, juxtaposing God’s shalom, God’s peace, the reign of God with the world of violence, greed and injustice which we so often experience all around us. But as I look around this Advent, especially at the students and young adults who are at the center of the Arab Spring movement and the Occupy movement here in the U.S.–and those students who gathered last week outside the SOA–I am reminded of a quote from Arundhati Roy:

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.
On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

For those with eyes to see, the evidence that a new world is possible and “on her way” is visible even in the midst of this present darkness. For us, Advent is that time when we recall how the promise of a new world was being shaped and formed in Mary’s womb, soon to be born on that first Christmas Day two millenia past. Today, the peace of Christ continues to be shaped and formed in each person dedicated to that world which Christ proclaimed–a world of mercy, compassion, justice, love and peace. This season, may the peace of Christ be born again in our hearts and actions. May we be heralds who proclaim that indeed, “another world is possible.”

Below you will find resources for prayer, study and action this Advent season.

RESOURCES

• Pax Christi USA’s 2011 Advent Reflection Booklet, That You Might Meet Us Doing Right, by Diane Lopez Hughes, available in English and Spanish
• Other sales resources for Advent and Christmas from Pax Christi USA
• War Toys Flier 2011 from Pax Christi Metro New York
• War Toys – Letter to the Editor from Pax Christi Metro New York

REFLECTIONS FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS

Below you’ll find reflections from over the years from a variety of authors of Pax Christi USA Advent reflection booklets. We will try and post reflections for upcoming Sundays on the preceding Wednesday.

• First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011, by Diane Lopez Hughes
• Second Sunday of Advent, December 4, 2011, by Janice and Gerry Vanderhaar
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8, 2011, by Arlene Flaherty, OP, D.Min.
• Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2011, by Sr. Jamie T. Phelps, OP, Ph.D.
• Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, 2011, by Dr. Arturo Chávez (English)
• La fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, 12 de diciembre del 2011, by Dr. Arturo Chávez (Español)
• Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2011, by Ched Myers
• Christmas Day, from the readings for the Midnight Mass, by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB
• Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28, 2011, by Rose Marie Berger
• Feast of the Holy Family, December 30, 2011, by Donna Toliver Grimes
• World Day of Peace/Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1, 2012, by Rev. John Dear, S.J.
• Epiphany Sunday, January 8, 2012, by Megan McKenna

PRAY-STUDY-ACT DURING ADVENT

• PSA e-bulletin, First week of Advent, Nov. 27-Dec. 3
• PSA e-bulletin, Second week of Advent, Dec. 4-10
• PSA e-bulletin, Third week of Advent, Dec. 11-17
• PSA e-bulletin, Fourth week of Advent, Dec. 18-24