Silence as an Advent Practice: Find some time every day to sit in silence. Let God hold your life and the world. Put it all down for a time. Begin with this prayer: Stir up your Spirit, O Christ, and come. If you’re new with silence, give it a chance. Keeping silent is a spiritual practice that takes a long time to learn because our brains are so active. The Buddhists call the mind “a new puppy.” Focus on your breathing. When a thought comes into your mind, pretend its smoke and let it waft away. Come back to the quiet. Do this each time you have a thought. The silence at the beginning of worship will last one minute. Reading more about keeping silence: https://www.soulshepherding.org/silence.
Scripture as an Advent Practice: Most of the readings appointed for these Advent days were written by communities that needed hope, vision, and renewal. They are surprisingly relevant, and much of the imagery is powerful and evocative. Pick one or several of the readings that are appointed for Advent Sundays and read them again at home. Pull that Bible off the shelf, open it, read and re-read a passage from Sunday. Circle (yes, in your Bible!) words or phrases that you notice. Write a thought in the margin. Begin with this prayer: Stir up your word, O Christ, and come. If you want to dive deeper, there’s a daily selection of readings that flow out of the Sunday readings until Wednesday, and then on Thursday begin to prepare for the upcoming Sunday: https://www.elca.org/our-work/congregations-and-synods/worship/lectionary/yearc.
Table Prayer as an Advent Practice: Come, Lord Jesus is based on a 1669 aria by Johann Rudolph Ahle and was first published in 1698 in a schoolbook by Johann Conrad Quensen. If you don’t say a regular meal prayer, try starting the tradition this Advent. Begin with the prayer above, or if you already say that one, add a second verse: And may there be a goodly share; On every table everywhere. Or And with our daily bread impart, Your love and peace to every heart. Or May our souls by You be fed, Ever on the Living Bread. Amen. If you’ve been using the same prayer for many years, try a new one. If you’re the boldest of the bold, pray extemporaneously, because it’s not the beauty of the words but the intention of the heart that matter.
