Advent: the Magnificat

 In a Sunday school class I've been teaching this month, we've been focusing on Mary's Magnificat. And I love John Allen Banks' observation on that famous song of triumph:

Advent presents us with a Christ who is the great reverser of fortunes, the one who (in the words of the Song of Mary) brings down the mighty from their thrones and instead exalts the humble, who fills the hungry with good things while sending the rich away empty (see Luke 1:52-53). Advent is anything but a consumerist season. It’s about a God who cares for the poor, who sent Christ to proclaim good news to the poor, and who calls us through the prophets to show concern for the poor.” 

 (From John Allen  Banks' book Rekindling Advent.)

Advent is a fasting season, and in Christian tradition, fasting is always tied to two things: prayer and charity.  I like how Banks ties together Advent & the Magnificat & charity all in one neat bundle.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

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Links! writing, reading, and Haiti

I found Patricia Wrede's account of the financial side of a writer's life interesting. An excerpt:
Essentially, it’s like a long, long pipeline, with the writer standing at one end pouring manuscripts in. No matter how fast you pour, it takes quite a while for the money to start coming out the other end. This can be intensely frustrating, especially at the start of one’s career. One works for years for a payoff that never seems to arrive, or that looks inadequate when it does finally start trickling out.
Here is John Wesley's advice on how to read a spiritual book, with commentary by Fred Sanders.

One for the "Man Bites Dog" file: Homeowners Foreclose on Bank. Great story!
Momco3, doctor, writer and homeschooler, is headed back to Haiti to help out. Please keep her in your prayers. You can read about her previous trip here, here, and here.
Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

beginning to think about Lent

and in my searching 'round the web, I found a blogger (and, sadly, I closed the tab and can't remember where I read it, so I can't give proper credit) who commented that Lent is marked by prayer, which is justice towards God, and by fasting, which is justice towards self, and by almsgiving, which is justice towards others.
I'm just chewing on that right now, and thought I'd pass it on in case you wanted to add it to the thoughts you're mulling also.
Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell