To help and guide your prayer this Advent, we are focussing on the Prologue of the Gospel of John. This gospel is read at the morning Mass on Christmas Day. The symbol for John’s gospel is the eagle, the sharp-eyed bird who flies high. During this retreat you are invited to look with a keen inner eye at the ‘big picture’ that is your life.

In his Prologue, John tells us that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’. Not too long ago, Catholics would genuflect when they said that phrase. It was the complete articulation of the Christian message that we celebrate every Christmas. It is a profound affirmation.  The eternal divinity erupts into time and lives among us.  God makes a ‘dwelling’ place with us, ‘pitching His tent among us’. God draws near to us through the coming of His son.  God is with us in every step of our lives, through joyful times and painful times. The coming of the Messiah into the world helps us to see the infinite goodness of God and His closeness to us.

This retreat offers you an opportunity to take some time out from the busyness of your life and come to a renewed awareness of the presence of Christ in your life and in His closeness to you. You are invited to deepen your relationship with Him; to welcome Him into your life this Christmas in a new way, and not to be afraid to radiate the light of His love.

Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation ‘Rejoice and be glad’, says that “the prayerful reading of God’s word…enables us to pause and listen to the voice of the Master”. When we do so, we find “a lamp for our steps and a light for our path”.

As you pray with the material presented here, and reflect on the scripture, we hope that you will grow more aware of God at work in your life.