We have considered the message of being alert, of waiting with hope, of being prepared to receive God's most precious gift to us. We have looked at "Christmas to come," so to speak with the apocalyptic readings of the second coming, and of the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare, and make straight the way of the Lord.
This week we learn more about what God is doing from the Isaiah passage, which Jesus read to his fellow villagers in Nazareth as he began his mission, which is repeated in Mary's beautiful song, a paean of joy. We see it in Isaiah's proclamation; "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn..." and in Mary's song, "for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed... He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty."
This week we learn more about what God is doing from the Isaiah passage, which Jesus read to his fellow villagers in Nazareth as he began his mission, which is repeated in Mary's beautiful song, a paean of joy. We see it in Isaiah's proclamation; "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn..." and in Mary's song, "for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed... He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty."
In "Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God is in the Manger - Reflections on Advent and Christmas,"edited by Jana Reiss, we consider the mystery of God's incarnation, and God's love of the humble and lowly. The mystery of God made manifest in Jesus, a carpenter in a small rural village.
In his homily, The Rev, Charles Hoffacker tells us to shift our attention from inconsequential routine, predictable small talk, and all things that seem safe because we think we can control them, and be alert to the message God is sending us. John the Baptist turned the attention from himself to one whose sandal's he was unworthy to untie - God's power is shown in humility. Don't miss it!
Joy leaps from the page, and from our hearts as we consider the prophet Isaiah's words, Mary's Song, and the passage from Thessalonians. In “Magnificat! Learning to Sing Mary’s Song” The Rev. J.Carl Gregg gives us links to listen to great musical renditions so that we might experience the joy, excitement and favor of God, this young woman experienced, and marvel how joyous she was in her state at that time - an unwed, pregnant teenager.
Daniel J. Harrington gives us a marvelous scholarly account of the joy God brings us through people he chooses to bring the message, and who are willing to do God's bidding in "Joyous Witnesses." Harrington would have us ask:
Daniel J. Harrington gives us a marvelous scholarly account of the joy God brings us through people he chooses to bring the message, and who are willing to do God's bidding in "Joyous Witnesses." Harrington would have us ask:
• Where do you find joy in your life? How do you express it?
• How might you articulate the joy that you find in being a Christian to someone seeking for God?
• The joyful witnesses in today’s readings experienced much suffering. What do you think allowed them to remain joyful?
• How might you articulate the joy that you find in being a Christian to someone seeking for God?
• The joyful witnesses in today’s readings experienced much suffering. What do you think allowed them to remain joyful?
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