We rejoice, for the Light of the World has come to darkness. Jesus Christ is the Light that no darkness can overcome. Advent is a season of preparation as God’s people watch and wait for Christ. We will be pondering the songs found in the gospel of Luke. The song of an old priest named Zechariah. Mary, the pregnant teenager. And angels come to shepherds in the countryside. We ponder these songs and rejoice.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. The light no darkness can overcome.
Jesus, open our eyes to your light and our ears to your words of hope. Come, O long-expected Jesus. Our hope is in you. Amen.
Word: Luke 2:10
“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”
Meditation: Joy for All the People
This meditation was written by Megan Roegner.
Do you remember how Christmas felt when you were a child? To call Christmas “magical” is a cliche and also not quite right, but I can’t think of a better word to capture the sense of mystery, excitement, joy, and wonder. The belief that just anything might be possible.
I feel a bit melancholic admitting that I can’t find that Christmas magic anymore except for occasional fleeting moments—stepping out into a moonlit night that’s just the right degree of coldness; a child’s clear soprano hanging sweetly in the air; the hush of anticipation as the Advent candles are lit. But if my own sense of Christmas wonder is ephemeral, my children’s blazes. Every decoration, every wrapped package, every tree-shaped sugary treat is a tiny miracle.
Last night at bedtime, my daughter, Lizzy, casually mentioned that she took a book about the nativity, called “Come and See,” to read aloud to her class. Lizzy attends a very diverse urban public charter school. Some of the students practice faiths other than Christianity, and many are not religious at all. If Lizzy had told me ahead of time that she planned to take that particular book, I’m ashamed to say that I might have discouraged her, redirected her to a secular story. I wondered briefly if Lizzy’s choice had given offence and what her teacher had thought.
I asked her how her class responded to the book, and she told me in her self-assured way that a lot of the kids weren’t Christian and had a lot of questions, which she and her teacher attempted to answer. Some of the kids even asked what Christianity is, and, according to Lizzy, her teacher responded that it’s “like a tribe.” And what a diverse tribe it was already at the first Christmas, poor shepherds and a multitude of the heavenly host.
Sitting at the end of Lizzy’s bed last night, I was humbled. Humbled by the confident faith of a child, who knows how to respond to miracles, who “fears not,” who truly believes that the good news of great joy is for all the people. Who, without any agenda beyond wonder and excitement, wants to invite more people into the tribe.
“Come and See” by Monica Mayper ends with the following lines:
Slowly in the starlight
Come dance
Come now and dance
Shepherds, strangers
Travelers, townsfolk
Quietly in the starlight
Come dance
Take hands and dance
We all begin to dance
Around the sleeping baby
We all, together, dance.
Dear Jesus, help us to find again the wonder of the shepherds and the faith of a child. Help us share our joy in you with others. Amen.
Prayer for Daily Callings
· For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
· For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
· For the unemployed.
· For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
· For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
· For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
· For schools, teachers, classmates.
· For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
· Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we live in a world full of tension. In your son you hold all tensions in perfect balance, justice and mercy, agony and ecstasy, law and Gospel. Create in me deeper faith in you in the midst of tension. Amen!