The Advent Door

The Hour of Lauds: Visitation © Jan L. Richardson

We’re more than halfway along the Advent path now; how’s your season unfolding? This is a good chance to catch our collective breath for a moment. As we take a pause, I have a few various and sundry things rattling around my brain that I want to pass along to you here at The Advent Door.

THE GOOD WORD: This is a great week in the Advent lectionary, with two of my favorite passages appearing among this Sunday’s readings: Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1.39-45), and the song that pours forth from that meeting: the Magnificat (Luke 1.47-55). My reflection on the Visitation is the next post down; for an earlier reflection on the Magnificat, I invite you to visit Mary, Magnifier.

FEAST DAY: While Mary is on our mind: somehow I got it in my head this season that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, beloved by many as the patroness of the Americas, was on Dec. 15; it was actually on the 12th. She’s worth celebrating for more than a day, so, happy extended feast day to you! Here’s a reflection I wrote previously on the feast: The Day of the Lady.

AN ARTFUL YEAR: During Advent I’m offering a festive discount at my website Jan Richardson Images, where high-resolution files of my artwork are available for use in worship, education, and other settings. Through Christmas, an annual subscription (which gives you unlimited downloads) is 100 smackeroos (normally $165). Visit subscribe to check it out.

PRINTS PRINTS PRINTS: All the images at Jan Richardson Images, including the images from The Advent Door and my other blog, The Painted Prayerbook, are now available as art prints (a great gift for yourself and others!). Just go to any image that you’d like and scroll down to “Prints & Products” to order.

THANKS THANKS THANKS: Thank you so much to everyone who has supported The Advent Door by linking to it from a blog or website or in print, including these cool sites that I recommend: patheos.com (a thoughtful site that offers “Balanced Views of Religion and Spirituality”; they’re reprinting my Advent reflections at their Mainline Protestant Portal) and Image & Spirit, a blog of the ECVA (Episcopal Church & the Visual Arts, though they’re hospitable to all!), which is offering lovely images and words each day of Advent. And thanks of course to Jenee Woodard, who provides an astounding ministry through The Text this Week, and to my friends at RevGalBlogPals; you rock!

And thanks to YOU for traveling this Advent road with me. I am praying for you as we make this journey and am grateful beyond measure for your company. Blessings!

This entry was posted on December 15, 2009 at 8:14 pm and is filed under Advent, art, Gospel of Luke, lectionary, religion, sacred time. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.