We’ve arrived at the final week of Advent. If you are following along with our Advent retreat, here is a brief reflection to begin this week. Please share your retreat experience with others here in the comments as we draw near Christmas. And remember that our retreat will continue through the Christmas season.
The Fourth Week of Advent: The Mystery of God Bursts into Our Life.
Petition: Ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit’s fruitfulness in our life, just as the Spirit made the womb of Mary fruitful in the person of Christ.Sometimes we are too shy with God. We don’t ask for anything. We don’t go out on a limb. We don’t dare to have questions. In other words, we hesitate to truly engage with God. Yet God continues to say, “Ask!”
—Excerpted from 2010: A Book of Grace-Filled Days by Alice Camille
I know exactly what you mean. There was a time when I couldn’t pray the St. Francis Prayer. I just couldn’t ask to always be the one giving, instead of receiving. That’s changed now, tho I still realize exactly what I’m praying for with this prayer. It still seems an awesome commitment.
I was at a men’s retreat not long ago and one of the speakers, at the beginning of his presentation, started with the prayer, “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your love….”
Then he said, “guys, be careful for what you pray for because the Holy Spirit is going to give it to you. ”
I try to say that prayer every day now.