Advent Calendar for Optimists: Day 10
What is Advent? Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year in Christianity and is observed in most Christian denominations as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of optimism, faith and hope. Advent is the time of waiting and preparation for Christmas. It is a perfect time to spread optimism around you and restore your own optimism. As Helen Keller wrote, "Christmas Day is the festival of optimism.”
Quotable Quotes
Robert Masters, LFPRIA, Chairman of The Centre for Optimism
"The Joy of Christmas is much more than that. One of the best things about Christmas is the joy it brings to people. In fact, it is as intrinsically linked with Christmas as love, giving gifts, decorating, shopping, and eating good food. Yet, it is more than that… come to think about it, it is the spirit of being optimistic. And when we look at an optimistic spirit, we know that scientifically the benefits extend beyond joy to happiness, active longevity, better health - including lower risks of cardiovascular disease - better sleep, greater resilience, stronger relationships and increased self-mastery. So, this Christmas I encourage you to extend that optimistic spirit to each day of your life and to spread it around - the world needs it. Merry Christmas!"
Jack Quirk
"It is of the essence of the Christian faith that good will triumph over evil. This is the promise of Advent. This is the promise of the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom which, unlike the nation, will not pass away."
Libby Purves in "Advent challenges our temptation to give up"
"Advent rituals are a defiant witness that even in the worst of conflicts, cruelties and hardship good people have always believed in a better future, and been willing to work for it and to hope."
Bible Readings
Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah 11:1-10: A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Activity for Today: Manage Your Time like an Optimist
When you receive an invitation, ask yourself these questions:
- Will this bring me great joy?
- Will this advance my mission?
- Is it something I must do?"
If the invitation doesn't meet any of those three criteria, say no!
Christmas Recipe
Pfefferkuchen
Pfefferkuchen is a ginger honey-sweetened cake, biscuit or cookie which is a part of German and northern European Christmas traditions.
1 ½ cups honey
1 ½ cups molasses (Some Canadian recipes substitute some maple syrup)
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar (any sugar will do)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground anise seed
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons water
6 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 eggs
A little cognac or brandy to taste.
Method
In a large bowl, mix the flour, spices and baking soda.
Bring butter, honey, molasses and sugar to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon till it cools enough for you to knead it.
Cover and let come to room temperature and leave for at least 2 hours. If you are in a hot climate, pop it in the fridge but don’t leave it too long or it will get hard. Some people wrap it plastic wrap to help make it managable.
You need to knead and work the dough. Beat the eggs and water together in a bowl. Work this into the dough until it is soft and pliable. You may have to add another egg or a little water.
Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick on a well-floured surface and cut into shapes (generally round) and place on a baking tray on ungreased baking sheets.
Brush with milk or egg or a milk and egg mixture.
Bake biscuits in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees F) 8 to 10 minutes until light brown.
Cool on a wire rack if you have one. And start eating. Some people ice them with cute Christmas patterns.
Music for Optimism
Canticle of the Turning - Rory Cooney
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" by The Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Little Drummer Boy (African Tribal Version) - Alex Boye' ft. Genesis Choir
More Quotable Quotes for Advent
Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles: "Above all, let us try to make Christ present in the hearts and lives of others. Yes, we have to be, each one of us has to be a source of hope and optimism for other people. What a beautiful Advent and what a beautiful Christmas we will have if we really have the joy of knowing that we are disciples of Jesus Christ who came to save us and to make us happy. "
Fr Dave Austin osa: "Advent opens us to the ‘refreshment’ and ‘renewal’ of the Christmas celebration – two more ‘Christmas words’ perhaps, expressing God’s optimism for each of us in our human living and his gift of hopefulness that we so badly need. On this Gaudete Sunday, St Paul’s words from Philippians 4 should ring in our ears: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.’"
Rev Kenneth Padley: "Hope is optimism. Hope is certainty. And hope is engagement. That is why we hope with expectation of the future, trust in Christ, and patience in waiting. Christian hope is bigger and better than we can begin to conceive. But in Advent, the season of hope, we come close to catching a glimpse."
William Willimon: "For some, Christ's [second] coming is terrifying. Old verities give way at his arrival. Those who make their living by the status quo do not rejoice when the status quo is threatened. Caesar trembles, empires topple, and the earth shakes. For those tied to the old age and its gods, its armies, its delusions of immortality, its false securities, the arrival of the Son of Man is bad news. `Apocalypse now,' cry the prophets of doom. Let us put away these prophets, close our eyes and speak optimistically of tomorrow. But those who have watched, who have heeded the signs, who have never made peace with the status quo, who have lived as if there were no tomorrow prick up their ears, straighten, stand on tiptoes. The Anointed One comes, their redemption is near and the world's doom becomes their deliverance".
Thomas Merton: "The certainty of Christian hope lies beyond passion and beyond knowledge. Therefore we must sometimes expect our hope to come in conflict with darkness, desperation and ignorance. Therefore, too, we must remember that Christian optimism is not a perpetual sense of euphoria, an indefectible comfort in whose presence neither anguish nor tragedy can possibly exist. We must not strive to maintain a climate of optimism by the mere suppression of tragic realities. Christian optimism lies in a hope of victory that transcends all tragedy: a victory in which we pass beyond tragedy to glory with Christ crucified and risen."
Monsignor Sabino Vengco Jr.: "Our present life is a matter of what is still to come. At no point is it everything already, nor is everything there. Our life is about birth, growth, and maturation; there is even fullness expected in the end of life, in death, into what is eternal. There are depths and dimensions in one’s life and in the world at large still to be discovered and explored, forces to be unlocked so that life can be brought to its full potential. Creation is in progress and its plenitude and completeness are waiting: an optimism that is an essential component of Christian faith."
ADVENT REFLECTIONS 2019 Notre Dame Catholic Church Kerrville, Texas: "God imbued us with some innate desire to look to the morning sun, to find optimism in the new leaf, and through it all to know that He loves us and will never abandon us."
Rev. Dr. J. Barrington Bates: "Jesus showed an unquenchable, confident optimism—even in seemingly dire situations. And he commanded us not to fear, but live in hope."
Rev Jack Stroman: "On this first Sunday of Advent there is a new sense of hope, optimism, joy and love being unleashed upon us. There is a feeling of great expectation that something significant is about to happen as we sing together that great opening hymn of Advent:
“O Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, and let us find our rest in thee”
Holy Family of Bordeaux: "This first Sunday of Advent speaks the language of hope. Advent forces us to face that serious question: what are we to do about our hopes, ideals and plans? We need Advent in order to be guided by Church prayer and biblical readings. Advent can restore the optimism, vitality and innocent joy of youthful hope. It may be that God will use our sacrifices to shower blessings in another part of the world that we will never visit."
Pastor Peter Ryan, First and Christ United Methodist Churches: "Today, our Advent “word” is hope. What is hope? To me, the word represents that which we long for. It’s a word of optimism. A word that says that while we may not be living in the best of circumstances right now, we believe in a better future. Somehow things will change. There will be a turnaround. Things will be set to right."
Helen Keller: "Christmas Day is the festival of optimism."
The Very Reverend Dr James Rigney: "John the Baptist blends simple moral instruction on how to live in this climate of expectation, with words about the coming of the more powerful one. John is the route to Advent optimism."
Amanda Noz: "The repeating traditions of Christmas make me optimistic. Making the same recipes as my Grandmothers and Great Aunties made creates a continuity that echos down through the decades. Eating Christmas lunch on the “good china”, bringing out the special tablecloth and serviettes and decorations, listening to Christmas music and connecting with friends and family, is all part of the magic of Christmas."
Jeff Kerr-Bell: "Putting up and dressing the Christmas tree each year with my wife and sons fills me with optimism. As I reflect on the decorations collected each Christmas, I am reminded of life’s joys and challenges, and how both myself and our family have accepted and overcome them, and are better for them. Given 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for all including me, I am grateful for the people I am surrounded by and the connections and learning I have gained that launch me optimistically into 2021. Be realistically optimistic!"
Rev. Rodney Ragwan, Pastor of North Wales Baptist Church: "We embrace this advent season with a sense of hope and optimism. God is starting to allow for the normalcy of everyday living. We are at the cusp of the COVID-19 vaccine but more important is the hope of the Immanuel, God is with us. God is with us with or without the pandemic. God is with us whether we have to celebrate Christmas with family or alone. God is with us whether we can gather as church communities or worship virtually. God will turn our pain for the good, our despair into optimism, and our worry into calm."
Creede Hinshaw: "I began thinking about children and waiting. I first concluded that children know nothing about how to wait. But after further reflection, there is another side to this. Children have to wait for almost everything. Accompanying that waiting, at least in terms of their birthday parties and Christmas, is a sense of sheer excitement and eagerness. That unbridled optimism and expectation is often missing once we become adults. Children have much to teach us about eager expectation. As adults it is too easy to grow cynical, jaded or resigned. One of the Advent themes is that of waiting. But not just waiting for any old thing. The Christian is awaiting the redemption of the world, the coming again into the world of the One born in a manger. Advent is a season to heighten, sharpen and restore that sense of expectation."
Some Celebrations and Advent Joy
Advent begins! Hope is present in Jesus. Invite Him in...Hope filled people have more joy, more optimism, more options, more endurance and more life!
— Tim Smith (@timsmithsln) December 1, 2019
Advent: three matching readings;a prediction from Isaiah,a wish from Psalm 22 and a miracle from St.Mathew - Jesus feeding 5000; all denoting the OPTIMISM of Faith Hope and Charity Isiah 25 6-10, Ps 22:
— focusonprayer (@focusonprayer1) December 1, 2020
and Mt 13: 29-37 Praise the Lord.
Consider how Mary, who belonged to an oppressed people under Roman rule, spoke out with holy optimism and blessed joy —St Oscar Romero, homily for 3rd Sunday of Advent, 1979. Read/listen to the whole homily at https://t.co/EtcDN6Hfrn #Advent #OscarRomero #Joy #Gaudete pic.twitter.com/QeinCnyQK5
— The Romero Trust (@RomeroTrust) December 16, 2018