Something New
Lynne Elwinger, O.C.D.
See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19)
As we begin the Advent season, I marvel at how well the words of Isaiah capture for me the feeling of this beginning time of the year. Advent, Christmas and the New Year, taken together, offer a concentrated course on the “something new” he speaks of, with each one contributing its own unique perspective and emphasis. I have found myself reflecting on the messages that each of them brings to our lives.
Advent Invites Us To Become Quieter
Some beginnings approach quietly, hidden within endings, coming down unfamiliar paths, or totally disguised in the ordinariness of everyday life. We often only recognize them in hindsight. They seem to have slipped unannounced and without fanfare through the back doors of our lives, escaping our notice. Advent invites us to become quieter, to listen as attentively as one does for the footsteps that will signal the arrival of a beloved friend, and to become aware of all within our own hearts that is seeking to come to birth now. Days shorten and fields are put to rest, and even nature’s creatures hush their voices, joining in the spirit of prayerful waiting. It is as if we are all holding, however briefly, our collective breaths, so as not to miss whatever is coming. Some beginnings have to be patiently awaited.
The Excitement Builds
As Christmas nears, the excitement builds when we remember the Hebrew people’s active expectation of a messiah yet to be born, and share in that spirit of expectancy. Despite the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, there is in this season a greater kindness in the air, and more focus on giving, expressing appreciation, reconnecting with friends and loved ones, and connecting with those we’ve never before met. All this began with that one seemingly ordinary night long ago, when Jesus was born in an unlikely manner and place. The songs of angels joyfully accompanied the arrival of the much-awaited one. Shepherds who barely understood the meaning of these wonders were drawn to go to see, and even having seen, barely grasped the significance of it all. A few who understood came and marveled at the mystery of God-with-us. The Magi, who understood the sign in the sky, followed the star from a foreign land to pay homage to the Christ child. The persistent prayer of the people had come to birth in a manger and the world would be forever different, yet only a small group of people realized at the time what had happened. They gradually spread the news, but years would pass before the significance of this new work of God would begin to be understood. Some beginnings are only recognized at whatever point their unfolding mission touches our own lives.
Something New Is Coming
As the old year melts into memory and a new year approaches, we are offered another twelve months pregnant with possibility. This sort of new beginning is marked by celebrations, fireworks, ringing bells, and midnight prayers. There is something invigorating and encouraging in the energy of this type of newness, despite the elements of uncertainty and surprise that come with it. The promise of fresh opportunity mingles with the challenge of the unknown. We get to try something new, to start over, and to try again. Horizons of hope beckon as a new phase of life’s journey shouts out to us, “something new is coming to you – watch for it.” God is always doing new things – plan to celebrate!
What do all these messages of newness and fresh starts say to us about the Ordinary Time days that make up the rest of our lives? Though millennia have passed since the Christmas story first unfolded, that story has much to teach us about living the “beginning times” in our own era. When we can suspend, even for a moment, our focus on what has happened in the past or what might or might not happen in the future, we will no doubt be surprised to discover all that is arising in our here and now. These stories hold a powerful call to become more attentive to the present moment, to what is happening here where we are, every day of the year. Only when we are awake to the Divine Presence, with all that it brings to us and asks of us each day, can we join in the wonder and awe of the shepherds, hear the angels sing, and see and follow the star.
God always needs to be born in our world – something that only happens in present time. Each moment offers us a role to play, be it that of one giving birth, or a midwife, shepherd, neighbor or stranger, hearer of angel song, or follower of a star. It is in the here and now that the power of possibility manifests as the Good News for us and for the world.
Every day, A New Possibility
Every day, every moment, offers a new possibility for God’s “something new” to break into our lives. We are continually invited to make a fresh start with a clean slate. We don’t have to be burdened by an unalterable past or distracted by a future whose opportunities we can not yet see. Right here, right now – wherever and whenever that may be – we can say yes to God’s question, “…can you perceive it?” Being truly present to whatever is springing forth for us, can transform our lives and enable us to be good news for today’s world. God is always doing something new. Watch for it!
Sr. Lynne Thérèse Elwinger of the Resurrection O.C.D.