Description

Link to the free PDF by Dwell App: ⁣
https://tinyurl.com/yysjvwjm⁣
⁣
𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟲: 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲⁣
⁣
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 Jeremiah 1:4-10 Acts 11:19-26⁣
⁣
𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥: 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺.⁣
–St. Isaac the Syrian⁣
⁣
In keeping with St. Paul’s words in Romans 12, Christians in every age are invited to be “transformed by the renewing of the mind.” Yet as people who live this side of the printing press, not to mention the internet or the iPhone, how are we to understand these ancient words when endless mental stimulation and information lies just a few swipes or clicks away? While the mind can and should be renewed, it must never be isolated from the holistic transformation of being that is envisioned in and through the Incarnation.⁣
⁣
Jesus took on the fullness of humanity so that humanity in its fullness might be re-deemed. We must never forget, God wants to be known! As the Psalms remind us today, though we have all gone astray and live in self-made exile, our Lord in his kindness speaks to us and makes us able to hear (Ps. 85:8). True knowledge of God is never the abstract acquisition of facts but is an embodied encounter with the living Christ.⁣
Cliché as it may sound, we must remember that it is possible to live with a wealth of information about God without ever encountering his living presence. Faith must never be reduced to a mental pursuit. Advent teaches us that God loves his creatures in our creatureliness, so much so that he takes human nature upon himself. Every sense given to you is a gift from God that is able to lead you closer to him as you journey from this life into glory.⁣
⁣
𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸⁣
⁣
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.⁣
⁣
𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲⁣
⁣
Sometimes in life we need physical reminders that draw us out of our minds and into the world around us. Find ways today to pray using your entire being. Perhaps you pray with a lit candle or image of Christ nearby that helps focus your thoughts and prayers. Or, consider going on a walk in nature, giving thanks to God as you do for the beauty and wonder of his creation.