Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Dear Friends,
Isaiah dreams of a bright future for us.
In the first reading of today’s Mass, he shows us a wonderful vision: the animals lead the way to peace!
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb . . .
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest:
the lion shall eat hay like an ox.
The baby shall play in the cobra’s den – Isaiah 11:5-10.
Let’s muse about peace and harmony today.
Let’s muse about the animal’s leading the way to peace.
(I have a Christmas short story about an owl from the banks of the Shenandoah
and a young lion from the Serengeti in Africa leading the way to peace.
It’s a fun story. Why not download it and save it for close to Christmas?
(If you’re not tech savvy, go to the top left corner of your computer and click on the < “back arrow” and it will bring you back to this screen.)
My puppy Shivvy (of happy memory) was quite curious of his fellow creatures.
I have told stories about him with turtles and little doves with broken wings and bunny rabbits and ducklings on our walks around our condo.
Think about this . . .
What can I do today to bring more harmony into the habitat in which I live
~ at home, at work, at church ~ in my neighborhood, in our world?
Behold a broken world, we pray,
Where want and war increase,
And grant us, Lord, in this our day,
The ancient dream of peace. ~ unattributed.
If you’re new to this Advent blog, I recommend reading Welcome to Advent 2009 to get a sense of why we want to spend four weeks preparing for our Christmas celebration and how it can help you deepen your (our) spirituality whether or not you are a Catholic or even a Christian.
And for your listening pleasure from Handel’s Messiah here is And the Glory of the Lord ~ from Robert Shaw’s Atlanta Symphony ~ Click here. Be sure to turn up your speakers
And here are today’s Mass readings, if you’d enjoy reflecting on them. Click here.
With love,
Bob Traupman
contemplative writer
Father Bob's Reflections 
Fr. I know that peace that Isaiah is talking about won’t come until Jesus comes again! Father Bob the world is very frightening some times I get so upset I cry and I can’t for the life of me see why countries don’t come together and help sove these problems. Then I have to let go and give it to God.
Paula, thanks for your offer, but everything is fine now that a new month has come along. I appreciate your concern and love.
Yes, Paula, these are difficult times. And frightening too for many. I fear for our country right now as well.