4 Advent

Elizabeth is pregnant with John, Mary with Jesus. Advent is the season of gestation. Year by year we are reminded that in our way we are God-bearers too.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

The Visitation of Elizabeth by Mary

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

[His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

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.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.]

3 Advent

A challenge for me this Sunday is to hear the Spirit through words I don't much like (brood of vipers!). The hymn text below is one way of listening. Others?

Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

I Baptize Thee, William H Johnson

And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Meditation for Luke 3.7-18, Suggested Tune: Franconia

Do what you know to do

today and everyday,

and know that One is coming soon

to clarify the way.

Share gladly what you have

with those who live with less,

and know that One is coming soon

who blesses graciousness.

Let justice be the star

that steers you through the night,

and know that One is coming soon

who prizes what is right.

Sustain your heart’s deep fire

through dull and lightless days,

for One works even now through you

to set the world ablaze.

2 Advent

Advent, with its perennial invitation to wait, reminds us that our experience of God is incomplete, that something is coming that warrants profound attention. What do you hear the Spirit saying this week in Advent?

Icon: St. John the Baptist

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,

and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

Hymn Text for 2 Advent, Suggested Tune: Aus der Tiefe rufe ich

Change sleeps deeply as the child forming in its mother’s womb;
rhythms ancient as the sea soothe today but startle soon.

Change burns slowly as a fire smoored to last the bitter night;
ashes deep and soft as snow cloak but do not quench its light.

Change flies quietly as a hawk soaring in a winter sky;
with an easy tilt of wing miles of fallow ground sweep by.

Change wakes swiftly as a storm boiling in the desert air;
mindful people mark its rise and determine to prepare.