On Sunday 6 December over 20 members of the Auckland Dominican Family gathered at Blockhouse Bay for Advent Prayer.  After the year that 2020 has been there was excitement in the air as people came face to face for our first and last Auckland gathering for 2020.

The awesome Lyn Smith led us in Advent Prayer.   Our opening prayer encouraged us to think about the journey in front of us.
A time for prayer.
A time for thinking.
A time for learning.
A time for sharing.
A time for reflecting.

We lit candles.  Our reading came from the Prophet Isaiah 1.1

We prayed a Jesus Litany (this prayer by Mother Teresa and Brother Roger (adapted)):

Jesus is the Word to be spoken
Jesus is the Truth to be told
Jesus is the Light to be lit
Jesus is the Life to be lived
Jesus is the Love to be loved
Jesus is the Joy to be shared
Jesus is the Peace to be given
Jesus is the Bread of Life to be eaten
Jesus is the Hungry to be fed
Jesus is the Thirsty to be satiated
Jesus is the Sick to be healed
Jesus is the Mentally Ill protect him
Jesus is the Prisoner visit him
Jesus the Emmanuel welcome him.

We had a time of silence to reflect on a range of scripture readings, quotations, words from Pope Francis and in true Dominican style some questions that linked right back into our daily lives.   We hope you will join with us in this Advent reflection as we post some of the content in a post or two over the next week or so.

A quote and question to invite you into reflection:

“We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love.
Be poor among the poor.  We need to include the excluded and preach peace” – Pope Francis

What brings you hope this Advent? 

Our thanks to all those who invited us to gather, to those who brought kai to share, to those who set up, those who served and those who packed up!  We look forward to another Auckland gathering late March or early April.