Meditations for the Third Sunday in Advent

Rejoice, rejoice; Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel!

“In the silence of a midwinter dusk, there is a sound so faint that for all you can tell it may be only the sound of the silence itself. You hold your breath to listen. You are aware of the beating of your heart. The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens.

Advent is the name of that moment.”

Frederick Buechner

Meditations for the second Sunday in Advent

Prepare the way!

Depression comes over me whenever the Lord is preparing a larger blessing for my ministry; the cloud is black before it breaks, and overshadows before it yields its deluge of mercy. Depression has now become to me as a prophet in rough clothing, a John the Baptist, heralding the nearer coming of my Lord’s richer benison

Charles Spurgeon

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.” ’

John the Baptist. Hermit. Prophet and Herald of the coming Kingdom of God- some say Elijah himself, returned as promised. Herod’s fascinating political prisoner. Herodias’ hated accuser. Fashion icon – he is, after all, the patron Saint of Tailors… Vegan. (Well possibly – ‘locusts’ could actually be Carob nuts, not insects!). He’s not the archetypal image of a holy man dressed up in fine temple clothes. It’s a wonder that he’s allowed out in public – the sort of person I imagine parents used to scare children and make them behave.

Make way! Make Way! He shouts. The equivalent of motorcycle outriders clearing the path through the crowds for a visiting Head of State. People wonder what on earth he’s talking about, but he has the unique ability to make people listen. The promised one, the Messiah is coming! Get ready. Once he has their attention, he gives them a right royal telling-off. Yes you– you breed of vipers! You’re for the high jump now! Say you’re sorry or else. You’ve a chance to start again, but it begins with you admitting that you need to repent, and then be ready – because your life is going to change forever.

And as for us – how do we respond? John announced the coming of the Messiah – our task is to prepare the way for people to realise that the Messiah has indeed now come, a realisation that starts with us. In our lives, in the things we say, in the things we do, to accept all that Jesus offers, and in following Him proclaim Him King of Kings. Make Way!

A prayer of St Theresa of Avila – take 5 minutes in the midst of the Christmas busyness to read a couple of times, slowly say it aloud, then close your eyes and allow it to speak to your life.

Let nothing disturb you,
let nothing frighten you,
all things will pass away.
God never changes;
patience obtains all things,
whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone suffices.

Amen.

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The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937)

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-37

On this Advent Sunday, it is good to look both backward and forward – remembering the past year, with its blessings and sadnesses, and in anticipation of those same ups and downs in the year to come. We live in the knowledge that whatever may befall, Jesus will be present to share our joys and comfort our hurt. He is present – ever-present – in many roles, each offering support and hope in all the changing scenes of life.

When she was a girl, I wonder what Mary hoped for? Peaceful home? Kind, loyal husband? Loving, healthy family?

What did the angel promise? A child. Son of the most High. Eternal Kingdom. Throne of his ancestor David. Son of God.

It’s a long way from her expectation – especially since she hasn’t a husband yet. But Mary does a remarkable thing. Instead of questioning the reality or likelihood of the angel’s predictions, she asks a simple question. How can this be? – and is told that the Holy Spirit of God will make this happen.

And she just says yes, ok then.

No ‘what ifs’. No ‘buts’. No discussion, no compromise. She knows that the one true God, her God, holds the future and she is content to walk with Him into the unknown and unexpected. The ultimate example of Faith.

She will indeed have a child, a loving husband, a family. Not quite as she expected, though. Her child will be the one who will be with her always , until the end of the age. As He is always present with Mary, so He is present with me, and with you, too.

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Sunday before Advent

Christ the King

Below is the very first ‘Praying together’ in March 2020, written in the concern of the unknown potential effect of the virus called Covid -19. Today, that virus is still around – but globally, there are now additional threats we have to face. On this Sunday – the feast of Christ the King, we ask for the faith of Simeon, that the coming Messiah will bring peace to a troubled world.

Collect

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Saviour gave his back to His tormentors but did not hide his face from shame: Give us grace to endure the sufferings of this present time with sure confidence in the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Luke 2: 25 – 35

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

Simeon gives us a lesson in patience, hope and faith; he has trusted in the Holy Spirit’s promise. It must have been very difficult to maintain that trust – living in a country under occupation by a pagan army, seeing the elders of the Temple and his own King happy to be little more than the Roman governor’s puppets for the sake of an easy life – there must have been times when his faith was stretched thin. But that faith was rewarded in the fulfilment of the promise that he would see and proclaim the Lord’s Messiah.

We are living in a difficult time ourselves – uncertainty about the future, fear of illness, separation from our families – wondering how long this pandemic will last, and perhaps even more fearful of what the long term social and economic effects will be.

That is why Simeon’s example in scripture is so important. It offers us encouragement and the promise that whatever our circumstances, we can hold on to the promise of salvation through the child brought to the temple by his parents, the child who will become the man who climbs a cross for our sake.

Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.

*****

Today as we celebrate the coming of Christ the King, we dread turning on the TV news – war, violence, cruelty, the refusal to accept that we have to (MUST) change our behaviour if we are to prevent climate disaster.

The temptation is to despair. But we won’t. Because we know how it ends:

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving^* his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

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2nd Sunday before Advent

Collect

Hebrews 10: 11 – 14, 19 – 25

3rd Sunday before Advent

Collect

Isaiah 2: 1 – 5 The Future House of God

Mark 1: 14 – 20

People sometimes ask me why, since our multinational and multilingual service making the hundred years since the 1918 Armistice, I no longer wear a poppy on Remembrance Sunday. Sadly I don’t recognise any reduction in war and violence after years of wearing one. While respecting the choice of those who still do, I feel that yes, it was right then that we reflected and looked back in gratitude. But perhaps it is time to look forward instead.

Actually, I do wear one, sort of. But rather like the cross on my forehead I was blessed with on my Baptism, it’s only visible through my actions.

I aspire to living my life a witness to my Saviour (admittedly and shamefully, I mostly fail…).  Nowadays, my act of Remembrance is in working for a future for children, grandchildren and generations of every race and nation to come, that they will live in a world of freedom from violence, hatred, injustice and prejudice. Whatever we wear or don’t wear, we must always, in giving thanks and honouring the sacrifice of those who give their lives for others, in turn offer ourselves as the body of Christ in the world, working for God’s Kingdom of peace and looking forward to that Kingdom, come. The safety and freedoms of the world’s children are our living poppies of remembrance

We remember

The Defence Forces

The Ambulance Service

An Garda Síochána

The Fire Service

The Coastguard

The RNLI and its volunteers

The Civil Defence and its volunteers

Nurses, doctors and all those who use their skills of healing both in this nation and across the world

And all those who have given their lives for others

For Johnny

Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.

Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.

Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.

John Pudney 1945

We pray the Lord’s prayer, and as the music plays, we may break bread together with the risen Christ and all His people – whoever and wherever in the world they are, we are one in Him who gave His life that we might live. He calls us to follow and to live our lives as His body, in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Go in peace, to love and praise the Lord and all His creation, giving thanks for the blessings of tomorrow – and the day after, then the day after that, and all your days. In the name of Christ. Amen

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