The Vigil – Part 1

Greetings Dear Reader,

Waiting for flame in eye of night, I am the fuel for your fire
Light calls ever unto light. Make me a fleshen pyre.
Touch my lips with the altering coal; leave your shining upon my soul.
Zion shall ever be my goal; Zion the telling of light. – Kemper Crabb

I saw my first Christmas decorations at Sam’s Club last week. Our church has begun reminding us of the need to plan to participate in the Advent Conspiracy. I recently added my soon to be born Grandson to my Christmas list and have already bought a present for him. This year I am approaching the Advent season with a slightly different perspective. I always move toward Christmas with excitement for the season. This year I want to pay special attention to my need to be vigilant over the need of others to see Christ in the days. During October I intend to keep a sort of vigil, preparing myself with prayer and pondering.

My first thoughts on this are that I must sharpen my focus. I must look first to how I can be more Christ centered in my actions so that they point toward redemption. The Advent of Christ is for the purpose of redeeming man. I need to see how the things unfolding in my life all are a part of this purpose. I need to focus on how my journey toward Christ is influenced by others and how I influence the journeys of others as well.

In increasing my intent in being kind and loving to others I have had to become more vigilant of every thought and word. This by extension requires revisiting my purpose in every tradition and action. Tradition is not bad if it is bathed in good purpose. I know why I do most of the things I do but I must also pass that on to my children. I must also embrace the changes that this Christmas will bring as the needs of my eldest Son and his Bride change. Traditions that I hold dear must be replaced by seeing to the needs of my children if necessary.

Every step toward the celebration of Christ’s Advent must be one of vigilance for me. Expanding my time in focusing on purpose and not just practice will allow me see the true needs of others more clearly. Increasing my practice of seeing every act as one of opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love is a vigilance that can consume in the most lovely of ways. The key is to keep this vigil at the forefront; to journey with a Crusader’s Hymn on my lips and Christ’s love for me and others in my heart. He must increase and I must decrease.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."