Mtr Taylor Devine

Dear Friends in Christ,

I imagine that I am not the only one is really excited for Advent this year. The season often feels like a time of deepening - while on the one hand life tends to zoom by quickly, on the other there is the slow waiting in our hearts for Christmas day. Over the coming weeks we'll share lots of prayers and practices for this time that is both grounding and liminal. In the meantime you may notice the yearning of Advent is starting early this year. Yearning for the real stuff, yearning for meaning, yearning for the light that comes in the darkness that cannot be overcome.

Today's Office Gospel is from Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as he nears the Cross. I love the final line in this section, 'I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’ As we near the end of Ordinary Time and enter Advent this Sunday I pray that we listen for the shouts even of the stones that point to truth, grace, and hope in Christ.

‘Why are you untying the colt?’They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’

In Christ,
Mtr Taylor