Throughout Advent I will be posting reflections for the journey towards the baby-christ which you are invited to use in your spiritual life with God. You may want to read the reflections and prayers aloud to yourself, with others you live or work with or use in a more formal framework at church.
We begin 1st Dec with a version of an ancient time with a story of creation. We shared this together earlier this year as part of our messychurch in Wythenshawe. I wrote it as a way of offering new ways of responding to well-known stories of beginnings and for us to explore who we are as people in relation to love-God, each other and the earth.
A very long time ago, billions of years ago, there was love and silvery stardust all around, shining, twinkling everywhere and very beautiful and then God laughed and…
Then from love there came the air, the breath of God, blowing all around (gently blow & breath out a few times), the breath of God, moving, dynamic and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the fire, the warmth of God, (slowly light a few matches one after the other), the warmth of God, red and orange and yellow, hot crackling flames, inviting and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the waters – (hold the blue cloth and ripple it) – the waters of God became seas and streams, the waters of God refreshing, flowing, rippling and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the earth - the sands and soils of red and brown and yellow, the body of God (put the stones & sand down slowly & gently to see/touch), the body of God became the deserts, forests, rocks and stones, and beautiful
and then God laughed…
she was having so much fun,
the earth, the cosmos, was her body
warming, flowing, moving, changing, giving life
love and beauty all around.
God wanted someone to talk with
God wanted some friends
so she laughed and there were animals and people
different kinds and ages and colours, dinosaurs, and later God laughed again and again and there were all kinds
people who walked softly on the earth, God’s beautiful body, loving her with their lives and loving each other. God danced and laughed and everyone lived in peace, learning from each other.
Every time God laughed and loved people came to life.
Each life was always beautiful, was really good, was filled with the breath of life, the warmth of loving flames, the flow of waters and was part of the body of God, sacred, special, loved.
This is our story. It has always been our story. This is a story of creation of the earth, a story of us with God together. A story of us altogether, how things were and how things sometimes still are. A story of how things will be again in the future.
Maybe it is a new story for you to be part of.
Maybe it is a strange story, but it is a story of love and laughter, of friendship and togetherness, of welcome and invitation to be part of the body of God, the earth, because we all come from stardust and love.
Let us now listen to God within and around us in a short prayer
God, who is earth, sky, fire and water
we are made from love, we are part of you, we are beautiful, like you.
We are made from stardust and love. wow!
God, help us to love ourselves as you love us. thanks.
God, help us to love your body, the earth, all of nature. thanks.
God, help us to reuse and recycle as acts of love. thanks.
let’s do it today, and when we can, for a long time.
Amen
