Advent Reflections: Expecting a Movement From God
A reflection by CTA ED Black Moses:
Happy Advent! The new liturgical year has come, and I was not ready. Between politics, ICE coming to my hometown of New Orleans, food prices, and food stamps being cut, all while keeping my family afloat, I am fatigued. I hold in my prayers all of our CTA members who are facing health struggles, financial difficulty, and who are concerned about their daily needs. Talking with a number of friends in similar situations, they also find it hard to keep going. Like me, they have found it hard to find something to smile about. Things that were simple or second nature to do have become valleys of pain, anguish, and outright depression. The business of life is taking up a lot of space right now. All of this makes the Second Coming seem no more than a wish. Systems and institutions across the world have made life unbearable, and it makes it hard to see Jesus in our world.
A new day brings another opportunity for us to move past these things that hold us from seeing that God continues to move among us. We must find small and powerful victories, signs of resilience, justice, and renewal. This year, our Advent theme is “Expecting a Movement from God.” In the midst of it all, this theme has emerged from where many of us find ourselves right now, living in a time marked by both heartbreak and hope. We are inviting members to answer our prompt: What movement are you waiting for from God? Below you will find some responses to this prompt from CTA members.
For myself, I had to create some hope by putting up my decorations for the season. My daughters inspired me to do an all pink tree this year, and a DIY video inspired me to take some bamboo sticks and turn them into trees for yard decorations. So I have something of a Christmas Wonderland. On Sunday evening, my wife and I took our girls outside, turned the light on, and oh, their faces were filled with so much Joy! My oldest daughter Paz screamed, “It’s Awesome”! Now, when I looked at the decoration, I thought it was okay, I had found areas that needed improving, and was saying to myself all the ways it could be better. My daughter did not see any of that; she saw the most beautiful decoration in the world. How often does God respond to our efforts, similar to Paz?
May Peace Be Your Friend,
Black Moses of New Orleans
Call to Action Executive Director
