The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

~from Isaiah 11:6-9, second Sunday of Advent, December 14

In the opening reflection in this year’s Advent booklet, Entering the night of peace, co-author Flora x. Tang (right) writes: “Our world today, especially around this time of the year, … imparts to us much anxiety-inducing urgency. … [But this] is a sales tactic. Urgency is a strategy of the individualistic and capitalistic world around us to get us to do more, to produce more, and to purchase more, right now. For me at least, this urgency that the world gives us is one that produces much anxiety.

The urgency that we hear from today’s readings at the beginning of this Advent season, however, is distinctly different from the urgency that the world imparts upon us. The urgency of Christ’s apocalyptic message— “the day is at hand”— promises the impending coming of the reign of God that will shake up the earth. The urgent promise of the second coming of God is both a threat for the powerful and a hope for those who are suffering: the way things are today in the world will not be the way things will be in God’s reign of peace. We, as Christ’s followers, must remain vigilant and urgently prepare ourselves for—and help establish—this very Kingdom of God. ...”

We hope that the reflections written by Flora and her co-author Cameron Bellm (right) help you as you spend quiet time over the next few weeks preparing for the Incarnation, for the arrival of Christ among us. We hope they they give comfort and guidance, and that they help deepen the sense of community you feel with your fellow Pax Christi members.

REFLECTIONS FOR SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS

Below you’ll find reflections selected from this year’s Advent-Christmas reflection booklet as well as others from a variety of authors of past reflection booklets. Reflections for each Sunday will be posted several days in advance, with Holy Days and other days of observance throughout Advent and Christmas posted regularly as well. We’ll also be sending our weekly Advent emails directly to your inbox if you’re subscribed to our listserv. (Click here to sign up if you are not already subscribed.) 

PRAY-STUDY-ACT DURING ADVENT

Each week, we’ll be crafting a special Pray-Study-Act e-bulletin (PSA) with resources for us all to use and to act on in common. 

COMMUNITY ADVENT GATHERINGS (VIRTUAL)

  • PAX Mass for December, Thursday, December 18 at 8 PM ET. Click here to register, if you have not already. (If you previously registered for PAX Masses in 2025, your registration is saved.) Our celebrant will be Fr. Bob Longobucco, pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Schenectady, NY. Click here to download the program.

ADVENT-CHRISTMAS GIVING

Our Advent-Christmas appeal is our end-of-the-year appeal, and we are delighted to have a special message from Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace and former staff member Phyllis Turner Jepson. We appreciate any extra support you can give as our movement grows! If you have the means, we hope you’ll click here and make a special gift to the Advent-Christmas appeal.

Read Phyllis’s letter here.

MORE ADVENT RESOURCES…

  • Join the Red Candle campaign, a nonviolent movement for justice and peace in Palestine; the website has many resources for prayer, study and action. The Red Candle movement invites Christians around the world to stand in costly solidarity with Palestinians through prayer, action, and advocacy—rejecting apathy and theological distortions like Christian Zionism that sanctify violence.
Prayer
Study
Action
  • 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.
  • Preach Palestine, Advent 2025: Advent of a revolution and birth of a movement, from Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) — Use this link to sign up to receive resources
  • Use this link to find a list of resources from Christians for a Free Palestine.
  • Resist the consumer culture and wasteful practices that have disastrous ecological impacts during this season. Try the St. Peter Care for Creation Advent Simplicity Ideas from St. Peter Catholic Church (Charlotte, NC).

PAX CHRISTI YOUNG ADULT CAUCUS ADVENT RETREAT

On Saturday, December 13, the Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus will hold its mini-Advent retreat online for peacemakers in the 20s and 30s on the theme, “Entering the night of peace,” with special guests Cameron Bellm and Flora Tang, co-authors of the 2025 Pax Christi USA Advent reflection guide.

Use this link to learn more and to register.