Advent is a season that reveals the sacredness of waiting. But waiting is hard. In a world of suffering and oppression, is it really okay to wait?
The lectionary proclaims a God who comes into history reordering relationships, so that it is safe for a lamb to lie down with a lion and swords are beaten into plowshares. Is this a romantic ideal, or do these scriptural images prepare us for our hearts' deepest longings?
This mini retreat, guided by Laurie Cassidy, invites us to reflect on what it means to wait for God during Advent 2026, and to explore ways of waiting that enable us to participate in God's coming. Through guided contemplative practices and simple tools for calming the nervous system, we will learn to wait with presence rather than anxiety, and to stay open to God's coming no matter what is happening around us.
About Our Guide
Laurie Cassidy, Ph.D. is a theologian, spiritual director, and anti-racist activist. She currently teaches in the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. Her activism is rooted in contemplative practice and her research, teaching and writing explore the political and cultural impact of Christian mysticism in personal and social transformation. Her books include Desire Darkness and Hope: Theology in a Time of Impasse (2022) edited with M. Shawn Copeland and most recently Praying for Freedom: Racism and Ignatian Spirituality in America (2024).