Word Made Flesh is a contemplative community. One of the ways that we contemplate what God is doing in the world and in our lives is through the reflection articles that we write. We invite you to read, learn, and celebrate with us.
The Cry for Submission: Letter from the Editor by Emily Fales
Jesus Come, Advent Day 14
Jesus come. Into my distracted and wondering mind. Into my fearfulness and anxiety. My insecurities and unhealthy tendencies. Into my bitter, unforgiving and resentful attitude. Jesus come. Into how I love. Into the words that I speak. The thoughts that I think. The things that I do. Into what I give. Into what I receive.…
Do Tell!, Advent Day 13, by Enuma Okoro.
Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 This second week of Advent, the scriptures remind us that God is clearly and visibly at work and there are people willing to tell about it. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah unabashedly proclaims the coming of the King of Kings, the one gifted by the Spirit in…
Editorial Correction
We would like to acknowledge a misprint in our 20th Anniversary Edition of The Cry. Please note that the front cover photo and the inside photo on page 12/13 should be properly attributed to Courtney Patch. The back cover photo should be attributed to Sarah Lance. Both of these corrections are updated in our online…
Wilderness, Advent Day 12
There are places in literature, history, film, all kinds of places that become symbolic. If I say Gettysburg, we’re instantly flung back to the Civil War and a harsh reminder of how deadly politics can really be. If I say Berlin Wall, we think of an act of defiance that ended an era. On the…
I heard the bells, Advent Day 11
One of the many Christmas carols which I enjoy is “I heard the bells on Christmas Day”. It was written by Henry Wadworth Longfellow in the middle of the United State’s Civil War shortly after one of his son was shot and wounded. As he considers the angels proclaimation to the shepherds of, peace on…
Programs for Happiness, Advent Day 10
I have always believed that God shows up in our daily lives, not just through Scripture or attending church, and that God uses our daily experiences to help us grow as Christians and as people. However, in college I remember having an experience and then thinking “Oh, someone did not see that situation the way…
An Advent Cocoon, Advent Day 9
An Advent Cocoon As Advent and the Christmas season approaches, I can’t help but think of Christ’s model of surrender—The Pachal Mystery—suffering, dying and being resurrected to new life. Surrender is a central theme for Christians—the turning point to transformation. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t more teachers who help us learn how to surrender. Great…
Least Likely Places. Advent Day 8
Trust that God arrives in the least likely places in our lives… The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the…
Actively Waiting in Newness of Life, Advent Day 7
The liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas fall during spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Since moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina, I have often grumbled about how most church calendar reflections, liturgies, and meditations center around Northern Hemisphere seasons. The themes of Advent usually involve waiting in darkness as nature retreats to survive the…
Contemplative Activism: A Transformative Way
We are complex human beings created in the image of God—daughters and sons of the most high God. We are the beloved of God. This is an extraordinary iden- tity. But we don’t often reflect this heritage. Instead of living from a place of knowing in our core that we are loved, which fuels our…