Advent: A Creed of Cosmic Proportions

BY JAMES HUG SJ | December 1, 2013

Do you believe in God, Source and incarnating power of the immense cosmic space and time,
who personally knows and cares about each person
in the small and most intimate moments of our lives?

Do you believe in God who is intensely personal,
Taking flesh in fathers, but is much more than fathers,
Taking flesh in mothers, but is much more than mothers,
who is ultimately MYSTERY
and before whom we must stand wordless and in awe?

Do you believe in the divinely human Jesus, born of Mary,
Who emerged from among us
to open our eyes to the presence of God working in all creation?

Do you believe in Jesus as the special revelation of our knowledge of God,
Who sometimes used images of women and mothers,
Who sometimes used images of men and fathers,
Who sometimes used images of birds, and trees, seeds and weeds
To help us sense the incredible power and earthy intimacy of God’s love?

Do you believe in Jesus as the one who called people beyond our personal wounds and illnesses
to be witnesses of God’s healing love, forgiveness and comfort?

Do you believe in Jesus who from the cross in agony found the strength to love and forgive those who betrayed, tortured, reviled and executed him,
And who rose to offer comfort, love, forgiveness and hope
And to entrust his mission to us?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit of God
Working in and through creation to forgive and comfort, heal and rebuild
Communities of hope and love in universal solidarity?

Do you believe in the global community of faiths living in that Spirit,
Invited to help bring the New Creation to birth in our time and on this Earth?

Do you believe that you are a part of this community in Christ’s Spirit,
called every day to spread this hope and comfort
in rebuilding our communities, our Church, our nation, our world?

Are you willing and grateful to live in this Spirit all the days of your life and through your death and rebirth into everlasting life?

We, in and of your immense universe of cosmic time and space,
give you our deepest thanks, our Loving God,
through Christ our Lord and in the Living Spirit. Amen.

James Hug, S.J.

James E. Hug, S.J., has a long history working in social ethics and social justice advocacy in the Catholic community.  He served 24 years as the President of the Center of Concern, a Washington, DC based social justice institute rooted in Catholic social tradition, working for greater economic, social, and ecological justice globally.  He holds a doctoral degree in Christian ethics from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in Christian spirituality from St. Louis University.

Fr. Hug’s research has focused on issues of faith and economic justice and he has lectured and directed workshops throughout the U.S. and in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Currently he serves as sacramental minister for the Adrian Dominican Sisters and writes on issues of spirituality for social transformation in these difficult times.  His blog, “Truth that does Justice,” can be found on the website for the Dominican Center: Spirituality for Mission, www.dominicancenter.org.

Past publications have included Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret, Social Revelation: Profound Challenge for Christian Spirituality, and Tracing the Spirit: Communities, Social Action, and Theological Reflection.  Jim has also written chapters for Globalization and Catholic Social Thought: Present Crisis, Future Hope and The Pastoral Circle Revisited: A Critical Quest for Truth and Transformation.

Fr. Hug’s research has focused on issues of faith and economic justice and her has lectured and directed workshops throughout the U.S. and in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. He was the editor of the Center of Concern’s “Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret, author of Social Revelation: Profound Challenge for Christian Spirituality,” and the editor of “Tracing the Spirit: Communities, Social Action, and Theological Reflection.” Jim has also written chapters for “Globalization and Catholic Social Thought: Present Crisis, Future Hope” and “The Pastoral Circle Revisited: A Critical Quest for Truth and Transformation.”