What I love about L'Arche Daybreak this Advent is "waiting together".

We know that Advent is a time of waiting to procaim the Christmas story and the re-emergence of the one we long for in the Messiah.  But waiting hee at the L'arche community has its own rythum and powerful stories. 

We are a diverse community with people coming from Canada, Germany, Brazil, Italy, United States, Korea, Japan, just to name a few of the countries. There are many stories and lived experiences.  many hidden beneath the smiles as people struggle to deal with many things.

In the midst of the Christmas season, there is a sense of many waiting for the 25th to arrive and as many waiting for it to be over.  In the midst of this time, there is a gentleness among this community to live with both worlds of pain and joy.  Our celebration last night was mixed with unbridled joy and deep grief among some of the core members and the rest of us as well.

But there is a sense of companionship, of love and just a wonderful sense of friendhsip and suport with all that we live.  It is quite remarkable.  Does that mean all is rosey here?  Of course not, but deep down we share a common love that seems to help us to put aside differences in opinion to live and breathe the L'Arche spirit.

And so we continue to sit down on the Advent couch and wait together in mutual love and a sense of the already here but not yet come...the reality of Advent.  Until next time.

Jeff