SojoMail - My favorite Advent tradition has piñatas

View this email in your browser My Favorite Advent Tradition For a Weary World In this week’s SojoMail, Karen González writes about the one Christian liturgy she always understood as a kid — one that never took place within a church: My first experiences of Christian sacraments, including baptism and the Eucharist, were mysterious and somewhat confusing. As a Catholic little girl, I didn’t remember my infant baptism and could never quite wrap my head around eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood. What’s more, these solemn events happened within the confines of a giant, cavernous church — a place where I had to be still, quiet, and serious. During weekly Mass, I learned implicitly from the nuns that reverence and fun do not go together. I understood these sacraments were important for a life of faith, and as I grew older, I learned to appreciate the embodied practices of breaking bread, baptism, pilgrimage, and anointing with oil. As a kid, however, these practices made me feel that God was cold and remote, just like all the rigid statues of the saints who peered down at me during Mass with somber faces. They failed to engage my heart and mind as well as my body. The one Christian tradition I understood was the sung liturgy of Las Posadas. READ THE FULL ARTICLE Forward Share ADVERTISEMENT   Our Latest What Does It Mean To Be an Israeli Against Apartheid? (by Mitchell Atencio) Dov Baum has spent decades using economic activism and corporate accountability to resist Israel’s occupation. Sojourners’ Best Books of 2023 (by Jenna Barnett) Our favorite books span many genres — poetry, memoir, speculative fiction, murder mystery, and more — but they all maintain gospel concerns. Christians, We Need To Believe Trump (by Adam Russell Taylor) The former president has vowed to retaliate against his political opponents and expand presidential power. There’s a good word for this kind of leader. In ‘The Burial,’ Churches Both Welcome and Exploit (by JR. Forasteros) A new film shows how wide the gulf is between the belonging within the walls of the Black church and the dehumanization outside of the walls. ADVERTISEMENT   From the Magazine May Sheep Safely Graze? (by Jasmine Marshall Armstrong) A poem. ADVERTISEMENTS LGBTQ+ & Christian? Come to the Q Christian Fellowship Annual Conference! Join us for the 2024 Renewal Conference in Albuquerque, NM, from January 11–14. This is a hybrid event where LGBTQ+ Christians and allies gather for worship, fellowship, workshops, and hear keynote speakers. Come experience healing, transformation, and hope as we witness the fullness of God’s love and affirmation. Register today! Full-Tuition Faith and Justice Graduate Scholarships Boston College School of Theology and Ministry offers a series of full-tuition scholarships for master’s applicants who are committed to working toward a more just and inclusive church and world. Our programs include a dual degree pairing master’s in theology and social work. Earn a DSL (Social Leadership) or PhD (Social Research, Religion/Society) Lead constructive social change by earning your Doctor of Social Leadership or PhD in Social Research (Religion and Society Studies) degree. Omega Graduate School: accredited, affordable, faith-based. Sliding Scale Tuition. Small group British tutorial-style Instruction with opportunities to study at the Library of Congress and University of Oxford. Apply Today! Food Always Tells A Story “In a world still shaped by the injustice of hunger, World Renew is training farmers in sustainable agriculture and teaching families about healthy diets and nutrition. Together, World Renew partners with families around the world, so they can access enough healthy food.” Read more from our latest sponsored article on sojo.net. DONATE   SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2023 Sojourners, All rights reserved. Sojourners | 408 C St. NE | Washington, DC 20002 Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842