Dear Everyone.
Peace be with you and peace be with your communities. I hope that all who are celebrating have a blessed Advent.
Today, I am beginning my Advent reading of Day One of “God is in the Manger,” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) . I’ll be completing a reading from the book each day until Christmas, when I’ll begin the Twelve Days of Christmas reading, which starts on page 65. Please join me.
I’ll be posting weekly reflections here on my website and I welcome your comments below. I’ll also be participating in a chat with the All Things SR podcast during their podcast on January 5th, 2025.
The editors of “God is in the Manger” have provided a short biography of Bonhoeffer in their Preface. I invite you to read it. If you want to read more about Bonhoeffer you can do so here: https://bonhoeffersociety.org/about/bonhoeffer/biography/
I also recommend his work “The Cost of Discipleship.”
But today, I am going to meditate on the first reading, which declares that Advent is the season of waiting and that Christ comes to us in the person of our fellow human beings. Transcendence and immanence. Grace and responsibility.
I am conscious of the tremendous suffering the world this Advent and I am conscious of the fact that there is so much hatred between human beings. I am confronted with the question of what I am doing for the world and in the world this Advent. As I live, and speak, and act, do I contribute to the problem or am I working toward a solution?
Bonhoeffer, who lived and wrote during a time of war and hate, faced these questions. I’m looking forward to learning from him once again.
Peace be with you all,
SR.
I am honoured to have had all three of my novels appear on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. {
I realized I posted early and on the wrong feed sorry for jumping to early.
First day of advent
“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Revelation 3:20”
Todays reading for the first day of Advent is so refreshing & relevant to what is happening around us in the world & I wish everyone with so much contention toward others because they are different would realize that Jesus is standing in front of them when they throw hate at them for being poor ,loving differently or for being from a different country and denomination; it is Christ in front of Them!
Thank you SR for hosting
Karen Komarinski (KK)
It usually happens, you are knocking the door and it is not open. It means that we are so busy with daily life and that we don’t pay attention to those friends, neighbors and family who knock our door for help, understanding or simply sympathy. Impressive how he is in prison and his message is one of hope and longing.
Peace friends
Thanks very much, Karen.
Peace be with you, SR
Thank you for hosting this read-along. I read chapter 1 and am looking forward to reading the daily entries. I think this is an important time to be reading this book, as there has been so much turmoil in the world the past few years. Sadly, even now, we can relate to Bonhoeffer’s time. I have felt my faith wavering, I hope to find a new perspective and perhaps let go of great frustration during this Advent season.
Thank you so much, Kenzie.
I’m glad you’re joining me.
Have a blessed Advent,
SR
A season of waiting, what a challenge! I was touched by Bonhoeffer’s thoughts about Christ standing at the door.
A church I pastored had a large painting by Warner Sallman of Christ standing at the door. The congregation had a tradition of giving people from the congregation a copy of that painting when they got married. What a great idea!
As Bonhoeffer reminds us, we each must decide do we want to close the door or open it? Blessings to you all 💜