Recovery of my strength goes so slowly, day-to-day! Today, I'm really feeling the effort it takes simply to get out of a chair. There's no reason for this being a "down" day; I didn't push myself an unusual amount yesterday. And I keep checing my blood oxygen level, and it's staying above 90%. But I'm listening to my body, and will take plenty of time to rest today. It's just an up and down thing, day-to-day. Patience. Patience.

Meanwhile, here's a wonderful quote to use for Advent prayer, with its references to light. It's from the daily prayer book I use, For All The Saints:

"O eternal God, light surpassing all other light because all light comes forth from you! O fire surpassing every fire, because you alone are the fire that burns without consuming! You consume whatever sin and selfishness you find in the soul. Yet your consuming does not distress the soul but fattens her with insatiable love....The more she possess you the more she seeks you, and the more she seeks and desires you the more she finds and enjoys you, high eternal fire, abyss of charity!

"O supreme eternal Good! What moved you, infinite God, to enlighten me, your finite creature, with the light of your truth? You yourself, the very fire of love, you yourself are the reason. For it always has been and always is love that constrains you to create us in your own image and likeness, and to show us mercy by giving your creatures infinite and immeasurable graces.

"O Goodness surpassing all godness! You alone are supremely good, yet you gave us the Word, your only-begotten Son, to keep company with us, though we are filth and darksomeness. What was the reason for this? Love. For you loved us before we existed. O good, O eternal greatness, you made yourself lowly and small to make us great! No matter where I turn, I find nothing but you deep burning charity."

-- Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

Blesings on your Advent journey.