Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
“Light's glory is to dispel darkness. Christ has illumined you with wisdom and the fire of his presence. It has been sparked and kindled in you. Let it blaze.”
― Caryll Houselander
The anticipation and preparation of Advent have culminated in the light and joy of the Incarnation! How incredible that God chose to enter into His creation out of pure love for humanity. As we contemplate the mystery of God becoming man, we are invited to ask ourselves: How does Christ want to become incarnate in me? What new birth is He proposing for my life right now?
At Beatitudes Missions, we had a wonderful Advent season with the incredible opportunity to walk with many young people throughout the country as they prepared their hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas. We reinstituted our daily morning Lectio Divina on Zoom, live-streamed morning prayer with the Community of the Beatitudes in Denver, and hosted weekly teachings including “Awaiting the Messiah: Jews and Christians” with Sr. Agnes and “Byzantine Catholic Preparation for the Nativity” with Fr. Nicholas Kostyk.
While Advent has concluded, our anticipation at Beatitudes Missions continues. On January 10th, we are sending 9 young adults on mission to Lebanon! The group will enter into the daily life of prayer and service at the Mary, Queen of Peace monastery in Byblos, Lebanon. Our young people will serve the house, help with relief efforts from the explosion that happened in August, and immerse in the rich Lebanese culture for three months.
Meanwhile, Fr. Anthony is back in Israel and will be continuing to lead Online Christmas Formation over Zoom. This will include Hebrew and Arabic lessons, information sessions about Beatitudes Missions trips, and various teachings with guest speakers. Be sure to visit our website for details on our Zoom Formation, and don’t miss out on our special guest Fr. Jacques Philippe on January 6th at 9:15am Central!
We ask for your continued prayers for our ministry as we embark on this adventure, leaving behind what is known and taking steps to radically follow Christ. The excitement and uncertainty of the future allow for increased confidence in the Lord’s loving care for us as we trust that He is the Light that guides our path every single moment. Above all, we look forward to all the ways that the Lord will draw us deeper in prayer and deeper in love of Him this new year. We entrust ourselves to the intercession of the great Lebanese saint, Charbel, that our hearts may be more open to encounter God in His fullness!
“A man who prays lives out the mystery of existence, and a man who does not pray scarcely exists.”
― St. Charbel