Advent Doors - Facing the Future

Clipart by Fotosearch

I imagine there are Advent calendars everywhere 
with the first doors now standing open.

Whilst some will reveal scripture verses,
one of my grown up granddaughters
 is working her way through a
Minnie Mouse one. 

It has the added attraction 

of laying a daily chocolate trail right up to Christmas.
I don't know how can she resist opening all the doors at once!

I keep away from chocolate temptation 
(at least calendar -wise),
and follow an 
Advent Retreat.

If this is something you have never thought to do,

you can find the one I follow click on

 http://www.sacredspace.ie/

When the page opens simply click on

Advent Retreat

and you will not be transported to a monastic cell for a week,

 but will be gently led to exploring 
Ignatian meditation
 in a way that enables you

 to use however much or little time you have

 to deepen and strengthen your inner life.

In my initial time with the meditation on 
the Annunciation narrative

I found myself again engaging with the notion of doors,

which has stayed with me since my post

 Opportunity Knocks.

(  .http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4238214236579909688#editor/target=post;postID=3479327339677872957  )

There are a succession of doors,

real and metaphorical,

which mark our progress through life as surely
 as the hands of the clock.

From the earliest doors which lead us inexorably away

 from the innocence and vulnerability of childhood,

on to the doors we need to pass through
in our search for meaning and identity

right to the end of our lives, 

we are always moving.

Wherever we are on the journey 
there are doors ahead of us 
standing ajar waiting, 
though we may be totally unaware of them.

 Mary could not have been
expecting an angel
 the day Gabriel brought the stupendous news 

the Holy Spirit was to come upon her

 to implant 
 a new and holy life within her.

 In her apparent ordinariness,

  the fullness of who she was meant

she held nothing back.

Beyond her initial fear and unpreparedness,

young as she was,

lay the ripeness of an open heart

which could say
 "Yes",

even to the dark unknown beyond the door 
which was about 
to fully open before her.

The extraordinary trust which enabled her
 to let go of all control of her future 
with the words
"Let it be to me according to your word"
have resonated with me all through this past year 
since last Advent.

If we feel the doors of life haven't opened to us
as we need,
or as we feel they should;
or that we have become trapped
 in a place where no doors will open to us,
Let it be...

 If we are convinced 

there are no more doors for us,

that we have traveled as far as we are able,

or come as far as we will ever be allowed to go,

Let it be...

When we have come at last to a place of shelter,
where we have sojourned safe,
and cannot think to leave,
or when we long to return to some sweet remembered thing 
rather than press on,

Let it be... 
 
Even if we don't want more doors to lie ahead

because we no longer feel we have the strength
 or the desire to go on,
even then we can put our trust in the future 
 by releasing the weight of our expectations
from our own shoulders.
Let it be ...

Who knew The Beatles were such good theologians!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3bE2mSJFHw

 However we feel about it,
until our last breath
there will always be one more threshold  
beckoning. 

Be Blessed