As I stand in my own small space of the planet,
reveling in the power and beauty of the heavens,
I feel a great unity with all beings.
I know that somewhere there is a herdsman
in the Sahara Desert who is also gazing
at the stars of our common universe.
I know there is a lamb in New Zealand
romping in sunlight that also bathes my skin.
I know there is a woman in India
who is going to sleep under the same moon I am.
I know there is a cactus blooming in Mexico
under the same sky as mine.
I know that all of us are drinking in the wind
and living under the beauty of the heavens.
I know that all of this is a dance of oneness
amid the bounty of the skies, and I am grateful.

Today: I walk with a sense of oneness with all life.

Source: The Cosmic Dance, p. 46

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
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Elizabeth was a wise woman,

not only because of her age,
but because of the way she perceived life.
Her wisdom is evident in her greeting to Mary.
Elizabeth knew there was a deeper message
for her when she felt the baby kicking in her womb.

As Christmas draws near, we can forget God’s nearness
as we rush around with last-minute preparations.
We need to slow down and catch Elizabeth’s wisdom.
She experienced a special moment and recognized it
as an opportunity to sense God’s nearness.
She knew how much strength and comfort
 there was in that awareness.
That’s what led her to trust so strongly
and to love so deeply.

Today: I stay alert for signs of God’s nearness.

Source: Inviting God In, p. 33

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

I look at how Advent gets lost “in the Christmas rush.”
The messages are all around me:
“Buy this and you will be happy;
buy that and you will prove your love.”
Sharing presence is hard to do in a culture
that keeps promoting material things
as a sign of how much we love others.
Sharing presence is difficult in an environment
that encourages us to be as busy as possible
so that we will be rich, successful, and important—
and able to buy more things.
When we are busy, rushed, and pressed,
it is easy to miss awareness and union
with those around us and in our larger world.

Today: I give the gift of my presence with each encounter.

Source: Out of the Ordinary, p. 2

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
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Light-Bearer
Eternal Lamp of Love,
remind me often of how much radiance comes
from the glow of one small candle flame.
When my spiritual window is heavily clouded,
and your abiding love seems far from me,
restore my belief in your vibrant presence.
When I doubt my ability to be a bearer of your light
shine your truth and wisdom into my faltering spirit.

Thank you for the illuminated beings
who have touched my life with their goodness.
Your light shining through them
has inspired me and filled me with spiritual energy.
Assure me that I can also be a Light-bearer for others,
a clear window of your eternal starlight.

Today: I am inspired to be a Light-bearer.

Source: Prayers to Sophia, p. 54

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

God of exiles, keep calling us home.
You know the yearnings of our hearts.
You also know how easily
we can lose our way.
May this Advent season be a time
of coming home to the best of who we are.
May our personal homecomings influence
all the earth.

We walk this day with hopeful hearts,
believing that your justice and compassion
will bring comfort and freedom
to all who are in exile.

Today: I pray for refugees and immigrants.

Source: May I Have This Dance?, p. 194

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

Something in me is stirring;
I think it’s the part of me
that waits in lonely exile
and yearns for a homeland.

It’s the hidden part of me
that wanders aimlessly,
stumbling in the dark,
crying to be found.

Today: I bring all of myself to the Holy One.

Source: May I Have This Dance?, p. 182

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

Advent is a season for exiles.
It is a time of waiting,
a time of yearning for light
to dispel the darkness.
The Advent atmosphere is rooted
in the experience of exile
described in the Hebrew scriptures.
The people were far from their homeland.
The Messiah would light their way home.

Advent expresses this yearning
to return home to a secure place of peace.

Today: I long for peace to become stronger in me.

Source: May I Have This Dance?, pp. 184–185

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

God of hope, come! Enter into every human heart
that cries out for a glimpse of your love,
for a sign of your welcoming presence,
for a taste of your happiness.
Be the one who calms the restless
and gentles the ache of the human journey.

God of hope, come! Enter into this Advent season
with the grace of joy and laughter.
Fill faces with smiles of delight
and voices with sounds of pleasure.
Let this gift come from deep within.
Replenish all with the joyful blessings
that only your peace can bring.

Today: I welcome joy whenever it shows up.

Source: Out of the Ordinary, p. 6

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

In using a metaphor such as “rock”
when we refer to God,
we are indicating that we have someone
who is a strong support, a sturdy shelter,
and a comforting presence for us.
It also suggests that we believe in a God
who is an eternal refuge,
a constant source of strength,
one whose love is as enduring
as the ancient rocks of the universe.
The next time you see a rock or a large stone,
touch it, or sit upon it, or hold it in your hand.
Let it speak to you of the marvels of God our Rock.

Today: I remember that God gives me support.

Source: Inviting God In, p. 29

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul

Angels appear at significant moments
in people’s lives. They act as messengers of God,
guiding, inviting, protecting, and giving direction.
They offer both comfort and challenge.

Angels in scripture remind us
there is a spiritual realm in our lives
where God is always desiring
to be known and heard.

Advent is a good time to be more aware
of this spiritual dimension,
to be open to hearing the voice of God,
to be open to receiving comfort and guidance
whether this comes in prayer
or in the hidden disguise of another person
who is an unexpected messenger of God for us?

Today: I am open and alert to God’s messengers.

Source: Inviting God In, p. 26

This reflection from Anchors for the Soul: Daily Wisdom for Inspiration and Guidance by Joyce Rupp is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.
https://www.avemariapress.com/products/anchors-for-the-soul