Rejoice! I Say REJOICE!

 

John 1:6-8, 19-28

The Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day and longest night of the year –– occurs this week. It is the onset of the winter season when the sun is the furthest from Earth and is often a time of darkness, doubt, and fear. Winter solstice can significantly affect people, causing lethargy, irritability, and difficulty concentrating because of the reduced light. Lots of people feel unmotivated at this time of the year.

And yet, Sunday is Gaudete Sunday – a beloved day in the Advent season that fills our hearts with joy and anticipation. This unique Sunday is a beacon of joy and hope as we journey towards Christmas.

‘Gaudete’ is a Latin word meaning “Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4-5 instructs us to:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.

The ‘rejoice’ command appears over 150 times in the Bible; obviously, this is critical to following the teachings of Jesus.

The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus in his First Advent and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Coming. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,600-year-old historical event. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ, and all creations reconciled to God. Scripture readings for Advent emphasize the Second Coming, including accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope for eternal life.

The history of Gaudete Sunday is deeply rooted in Christian tradition. The observance dates back to the medieval period when the Church recognized the need to balance the penitential nature of Advent with moments of joy and hope. The third Sunday of Advent serves as a brief respite from the more somber aspects of the season, allowing believers to rejoice in the imminent arrival of the Christ child.

Today, Gaudete Sunday, REJOICE Sunday, reminds us that Christmas is nearly here. The somber tone suddenly turns joyous today – we shift from deep purple to pink to give us a clue that we’re nearly there. In essence, Gaudete Sunday encapsulates the dual nature of Advent – a time for reflection and repentance, balanced with anticipation and rejoicing in the promise of salvation. It serves as a reminder that, even in our preparations, there is joy in the expectation of the Christ child’s arrival.

All the expectation, the longing, and the waiting will soon be over – we’ll be opening the presents we wanted, and some perhaps we didn’t.

Sometimes, we can’t hide the disappointment in socks, homemade knitted scarves, or chunky sweaters knit by a well-meaning relative. As a people of faith, we do well to know where our true joy comes from – those who know the pain of disappointment in others, what they say and do, or what they forget to say and do.

True joy comes from God. If we rejoice when times are good, only when we get what we want, only when we hear what we want to hear, then quite frankly, God needn’t bother with Christmas.

“Keep your Son,” we should say – thank you very much, we don’t need him. Even John the Baptist wondered whether the guy he heard so much about was ‘the One’ – he sent his disciples to double-check. Jesus said: ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’ – see what’s happening – lives are changed.

Yours and my lives change through encounters with Jesus –or is something holding us back from fully embracing the little child?

For those who have faith that brings them to worship God (rather than just be entertained on a Sunday morning), joy and faith can keep us going – despite what life throws at us.

Our hymns at this time of year can particularly hit nerves. Take In the Bleak Midwinter, for one. Hasn’t it been miserable enough? This last year, we’ve had floods, drought, winds and storms. Christmas is nearly here to lift our hearts, and we start singing about bleak midwinters!

Perhaps the writer of that hymn did lose the plot and think that Jesus was born on a bleak, windy moor in a January blizzard. Was it winter in Bethlehem? Did it snow? Or was it an ordinary Middle Eastern night with nothing happening except angels appearing and singing?

Perhaps, though, some of us have in our minds what a bleak midwinter is all about – I don’t mean the weather outside; I mean the experience inside us. There are many stories within our communities of the midwinter life experiences – whose ground is hard and cold. Comfort can be elusive: maybe because of a loveless marriage, a depression that is hard to shake off, the sadness of life without a loved one, concern for a child, worry about health and the future, and so on. Christmas in this light can seem like fluffy, trivial nonsense. Christmas might be memorable for the comfortable or those wishing to escape reality, but a romantic, fluffy Christmas can offer little refuge to those in the bleak midwinter of life.

In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live “between the times.” We are to be faithful stewards of that entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the Church celebrates God’s arrival in the Incarnation and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which “all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption,” it also confesses its responsibility as a people commissioned to

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

and to

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30)

A spirit of expectation, anticipation, preparation, and longing marks Advent. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by enslaved Israelites in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed enslaved people and brought salvation!

Although Gaudete Sunday is the third Sunday during the penitential period of Advent, it is a mid-point break in the Advent season. Gaudete Sunday is the chance to celebrate before returning to assessing our lives.

On Gaudete Sunday, the liturgical color is often rose or pink, a deviation from the usual Advent color of purple or blue, symbolizing the joy and excitement of the approaching celebration of Christmas. In some Christian traditions, the clergy lights a pink candle on the Advent wreath on Gaudete Sunday.

Advent was a time for preparing for Christmas through penance and fasting in medieval times. Today, Gaudete Sunday, is a day to relax from Advent penance and to rest, preparing ourselves for the final stretch of this penitential season.

The modern observance of Advent is often difficult to distinguish from the season of Christmas. The secular world is already in full party mode, with Christmas sweets, social celebrations, and even gift-giving.

It’s almost laughable to think of Advent today as a season of penance and fasting. Yet, Advent was a penitential season similar to Lent for most of Christian history, though never as strict. It consisted of periodic fasting and personal sacrifices, traditions that starkly contrast to the modern delicacies everyone enjoys throughout December.

Gaudete Sunday can be confusing and joyful in the middle of the Advent penances. There is joy in looking forward to the annual celebration of Christmas, but there is also joy in recalling the birth of Jesus on the first Christmas.

• Jesus was born to save us from sin (Matthew 1:21b).
• The rejoicing also extends to the anticipation of the Second Coming, either at the end of physical life or the end of the world, when believers will dwell in the place in the Father’s house (John 14:2) with God and his angels and saints for all eternity.

The Isaiah passage (Isaiah 61:1) is the first indication that this Sunday is about bringing good news:

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; (Isaiah 61:1)

And, following in later lines:

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, (Isaiah 61:10)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The reading for Advent 3 usually includes the ‘Magnificat,’ Mary’s hymn of acceptance.

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” (Luke 1:46-49).

The foretelling of the Baby Jesus is another reason to be joyful on Gaudete Sunday.

In the spirit of joy and giving, some Christian communities use Gaudete Sunday to engage in acts of kindness and charity – possibly outreach to those in need or special community service projects.

Today, may Gaudete Sunday be filled with the joy, faith, hope, and love of the God who wants to be reborn in you and me again. All this, not so that we can feel great about ourselves and be smug and self-satisfied, but so that the love we encounter in God who gives everything may be modeled in what we do and think and say alongside others – those who believe and those who have yet to see through all the rubbish of religion and encounter the God of love and joy and relationship. That’s the sort of Christmas I want to sing about, right? Rejoice!

So we are told:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.

Let us pray:

Loving Father, keep your Church faithful in telling the good news, loving justice, and drawing many to freedom through the joy of your forgiveness.

We pray that there may be integrity in leadership, mercy, justice for rich and poor, strong and weak, peace among nations, and respect for all.

We pray for our community, families, and friends for their hopes and fears. May the love of Christ be shown in what we do and how we speak. We remember now all those we know with special needs, locked in physical and emotional pain; all weighed down with worry or despair. God of Advent hope, will you restore, replenish, comfort, and free them?

Finally, loving Father, we commend those who have died to your love. We especially miss loved ones whose memory is a treasure at this time. May they and we, in turn, experience the joy of your eternity forever.

Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Delivered at Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square, Columbus, OH; 17 December 2023

Who Are You?

Matthew 11:2-11

In the past two weeks, our Advent lessons have taught us to prepare to celebrate both the past and the future – to celebrate both the birth of Jesus 2,020 years ago and to heighten our anticipation of his coming anew at a date and time no one knows for sure.

The lessons have stressed the importance of inner preparation – aligning our attitudes and behaviors with God’s desires for all and not just busying ourselves with tidying the house.

Today we enter the third week of Advent – with it, the anticipation of the Birth of Christ. In just a little over one week, we will be sitting in this sanctuary celebrating Jesus’ birth – the arrival of the Messiah. Today is Rose Sunday, or to the Anglican community, ‘Stir It Up’ Sunday. In the Collect, we ask God to ‘stir up his power’ in us.

This Kingdom of God is what we are waiting for as we continue this Advent Season. As we anticipate the birth of that baby in Bethlehem, let us keep our eyes fixed on the real prize:

The Kingdom of God!!

But today’s scripture is not foretelling the birth of Jesus. Today’s lesson cuts to the heart of the matter and asks THE question that every follower of Jesus in every age must want to ask:

Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another? (Matthew 11:2)

The question is rather oddly and interestingly put.

In today’s scripture, we find John the Baptist languishing away in prison, put there because he renounced Herod Antipas’ marriage to his brother’s wife. He has been there for over a year and probably getting very cranky – not that he wasn’t before. He hears rumors that the Jesus he had baptized and proclaimed to be the Messiah was traveling the countryside. His hopes were high, and he was sure that Jesus would ride in on a white horse and rescue him.

Matthew begins by reporting that the imprisoned John the Baptist had heard what Jesus was doing. Doesn’t that suggest that John – or others – had already concluded that Jesus WAS the Messiah?

And at the time of Jesus, Nazareth was a hillbilly, backwoods hamlet. And Jesus was the conceived-out-of-wedlock son of Mary, married to that weakling Joseph who didn’t do the honorable thing of publicly disgracing Mary when he found she was pregnant, who made his living as a peasant woodworker.

In other words, Jesus was at the bottom of the status ladder.

But on the other hand, Jesus was saying and doing things that got people talking about him. Gossip was spreading, even into the prison where John was. People were starting to wonder – Just who was this guy? Could someone like that possibly be the Messiah? What were they to make of him?

He heard that Jesus was performing miracles, preaching mercy, compassion, and love. This was not what he expected of the Messiah!!! Jesus was not proclaiming himself the Messiah King, bringing about the destruction of Rome and overthrowing Herod’s rule. He was not preaching revolution and smiting evildoers! He was proclaiming good news for the needy, the broken-hearted and downtrodden, the captives, and the oppressed. He was even saying people who believed in Him would be persecuted.

Even though they were cousins and had known each other since the womb, John was no longer sure that this Jesus was the Messiah.

He sent his disciples to speak with Jesus. After all, John had prophesied that the Messiah would come with fiery judgment, pitchfork in hand, and with an axe. This man was preaching and teaching hope and love and healing, not fomenting revolution. What was going on here?

Imagine you were John and had been extolling the virtues of this Messiah, only to find out that He was not a revolutionary – or at least not in the sense John expected. Jesus was preaching and healing, not riling up the citizens. There was no message of revolt in his stories. He stressed the compassion and inclusion of everyone in the Kingdom of God. The Jews had been waiting with expectation for the appearance of the Messiah that would save them from Roman oppression and restore them to their rightful kingdom. This Jesus was certainly not acting like that Messiah!

John wanted to know if their waiting was over or if there was another Messiah who would be coming.

Had he been wrong about Jesus?

Was he looking like a fool?

I don’t think so.

When asked

“are you the one”

 Jesus does NOT answer the question directly. Instead, he tells the followers of John to go back and report what they have seen and heard. In other words, John had to make up his own mind and decide who Jesus was.

The scripture goes on to say that Jesus affirms John and his prophecy. Jesus reminded John that he was “the voice crying in the wilderness”, in goat skins for clothes, eating locusts and honey. Jesus reminded him of his calling as a ‘preparer’ – baptizing many in the wilderness. He was more than a prophet; he was a forerunner, reformer, and way-preparer.

Those times for which John was baptizing people and foretelling had come to pass. Just as Elijah foretold of Jesus’ birth, John foretold Jesus’ life on earth. John’s purpose was to prepare the people for the arrival of Jesus among them.

The prophecy foretold in Isaiah was fulfilled in the person of Jesus:

A Jesus that was a man of words and compassionate actions, not one of authority and military might.

Jesus tells John’s disciples to look around and see what was happening. God is on the move. People are being reached, and their lives are being changed. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them. Even though John is imprisoned and disappointed, God is moving. Jesus is doing what God called him to do.

Jesus sends John’s disciples back, telling them to tell John what they have seen. Tell John about the

Healing the sick

Casting out demons

Raising the dead

Forgiving sins

Preaching to the poor.

We can only hope that when the disciples returned and told John what they had seen and heard, he remembered the prophecies of Isaiah about the marvels that would take place in the wilderness. And he remembered his faith in that man he baptized so long ago.

But wouldn’t it have been natural for John to have been a little upset that he was sitting in prison for an itinerant preacher who gave mercy to anyone who asked (even Romans) and would lead his followers to a brutal death? John possibly sent his disciples to Jesus to try and prod him into the action he expected from the Messiah.

But Jesus, the Messiah, was not what John the Baptist expected. He was here to establish the Kingdom of God. He was not coming to destroy Rome; the Romans could and did that without his help.

Jesus was here to establish the Kingdom of God, where everyone is welcome and loved, and mercy and compassion flow like waters.

We are waiting for this event as we continue this Advent Season.

Are we preparing for the coming of the Kingdom of God?

Though we have attempted to live righteously, we find ourselves imprisoned by our failures. Sometimes we feel more like John sitting in a prison; we are shackled and imprisoned, and we can’t see any escape.

• We have sensed God’s call upon us and tried to follow the path that God has called us to walk, but things didn’t go the way we expected.
• We feel we are failures at work, in our families, and in other areas of our lives.
• Our fears imprison us. We fear failure, so we don’t try.
• Our sins shackle us.
• We can’t turn away from our selfishness and self-centeredness.
• We can’t seem to break loose of the habits, compulsions, addictions, and desires that keep us from leading righteous, obedient lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Like John, we struggle with disappointments and despair.

Like John, sometimes we are disappointed that Jesus doesn’t do what we expected or wanted him to do. John was disappointed that Jesus wasn’t more judgmental and that he didn’t preach more hell, fire, and brimstone. Disappointed that he didn’t charge in and take control and establish the awaited kingdom.

We sometimes act like football players who occasionally run off the field and tell the coach what plays he should call and what he should do. The coach nods, and we think he understands and agrees with us, but when we run back onto the field, the coach doesn’t call the play we thought he should. We are disappointed because we forget it is God’s plan.

We struggle to understand that our life of faith is not so that God does what we want him to do—instead, a life of faith is to boldly and obediently follow God’s guidance and direction in our lives—to do what God wants us to do.

This Advent season may find us less than celebratory. We may be struggling in many ways, and we may not be living out the freedom and power that is ours as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Amid our imprisonments and disappointments, God assures us he is establishing his kingdom. God also invites us to participate in his kingdom by taking up the ministry of Jesus—serving others and sharing the good news.

The world around us needs us, and God is with us.

We need to be prodded and poked to strive for a sinless life. We need to be pushed forward to who is coming. We need to be reminded in this Advent Season that Jesus comes not only as a human child but promises to return to triumph over death and make that possible for us. Jesus comes twice to bring eternal life and peace in an everlasting Kingdom.

Can we throw off the shackles that imprison us?

Can we rid ourselves of our disappointments?

Are we ready for that Kingdom?

Amen.

Delivered to Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Columbus, OH; 11 December 2022

 

‘Stir It Up’ Sunday

Now when John the Baptist was in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and asked Him, “Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else who will be the promised One?” Jesus answered, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive [their] sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed by healing and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed joyful, favored by God is he who does not take offense at Me accepting Me as the Messiah and trusting confidently in My message of salvation.” (Matthew 11:2-11)

The Season of Advent can be a very confusing time for some people:

• on one hand, we all wait with wide-eyes for the birth of the Christ child
• on the other, we are waiting for the second Coming of Jesus at the end of the world.

Indeed, a major part of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus will return to earth and all believers shall be drawn to him and into eternal life. And in the liturgical year, Christ’s ‘Second Coming’ is celebrated during the Advent Season when we are usually more focused on the birth of Jesus.

Today we enter the third week of Advent – with it the anticipation of the Birth of Christ. In just a little over one week we will be sitting here celebrating Jesus’ birth that nativity story from so long ago. You would expect the readings to center on that blessed event in Bethlehem.

But today’s scripture is not foretelling the birth of Christ.

In today’s scripture, we find John the Baptist languishing away in prison. John was considered a fanatic and zealot in his own time, so, when Herod Antipas married his brother Phillip’s wife after divorcing his own, John had much to say, about it, far and wide. John, of course, would rail against this; it was his life’s business to prophesy and accuse! In an attempt to silence him, Herod had thrown him in prison. He has been there for over a year and must have felt abandoned and out of the mainstream. He heard rumors that the Jesus he had baptized and proclaimed to be the Messiah was traveling the countryside preaching and prophesying. The time of the Messiah must surely have come. His hopes high, John is sure that Jesus will ‘ride up on a white horse’ and rescue him from prison.

But what was actually happening? What do his messengers tell him about Jesus?

He hears that Jesus is busy performing miracles, preaching mercy and compassion and love. This is not what he expected of the Messiah!!!

Jesus was not proclaiming himself the Messiah King,

. . . not bringing about the destruction of Rome

. . . or overthrowing Herod’s rule.

Instead of preaching revolution and smiting evildoers he is proclaiming good news to the poor and destitute, the broken-hearted and downtrodden, the captives and oppressed. He was even saying people who believed in Him would be persecuted!

Even though they were cousins and had known each other since the womb, John was no longer sure that THIS Jesus was the Messiah he had foretold. He was certainly not doing what he expected Him to do.

So, John sent his disciples to speak with Jesus. After all, John had been prophesying that the Messiah would come with fiery judgment, pitchfork and axe in hand. But here was this man, preaching and teaching hope and love and healing, not fomenting revolution.

What was going on here?

Imagine you were John, foretelling the reign of the Messiah, only to find out that He was not the revolutionary you had predicted – or at least not in the sense John expected. Jesus was preaching and healing, not riling up the citizens to revolt. There was no message of revolt in his teachings and stories. He stressed compassion and inclusion of everyone in the Kingdom of God.

The Jews had been waiting a long time for the appearance of the Messiah with the expectation that he would save them from Roman oppression and restore them to their rightful kingdom. This Jesus was certainly not acting like that Messiah! Disappointed, John wanted to know if Jesus was that man . . . or if there was another Messiah coming.

He must have thought:

• Had he been wrong about Jesus?
• Was he looking like a fool?

Some folks may have thought so then, but today we know better . . . that even John didn’t fully realize what the Kingdom of God would be, and indeed sometimes, we forget, too.

The scripture goes on to say that Jesus affirmed John and his prophecy. Jesus reminded John that he was ‘the voice crying in the wilderness’, in camel skins, eating locust and honey. He reminded him that his calling was as a preparer – he had called many to the wilderness to be baptized. He was more than a prophet; he was a forerunner, reformer, a preparer of the way.

Those times for which John was baptizing people and foretelling had truly come to pass. Just as Elijah foretold of Jesus’ birth, John was foretelling of Jesus’ life on earth. John’s purpose was to prepare the people for the arrival of Jesus among them.

• That prophesy was fulfilled in the person of Jesus: a Jesus that was a man of words and compassionate actions, not one of authority and military might.
• A man of the spirit, not of the sword

Jesus sends the disciples back to John, telling them to tell him what they had seen. Tell him about:

• Healing the sick
• Casting out demons
• Raising the dead
• Forgiving sins
• Preaching to the poor.

We can only hope that when the disciples returned and told John what they had seen, he remembered the prophecies of Isaiah that we heard about in your reading today about the marvels that would take place in the desert. And he remembered his faith in that man he baptized so long ago.

But wouldn’t it have been natural for John to have been a little upset that he was sitting in prison suffering for an itinerant preacher who gave mercy to anyone who asked (even Romans) and would lead his followers into a brutal death? Possibly John sent his disciples to Jesus to try and prod him into the action that John had expected from the Messiah.

This Jesus – this Messiah – was not what John the Baptist expected. He was not coming to destroy Rome; they could and did do that without his help. He was here to establish the Kingdom of God.

A Kingdom of God where everyone is welcome, all are loved, and mercy and compassion flow like waters.

This is Rose Sunday, or to the Anglican community ‘Stir It Up’ Sunday. In the Collect, we ask God to ‘stir up his power’ in us. And we got our blood flowing when we sang one of my favorite hymns: Sound the Trumpets!! Spread the Message!!!

We need to be prodded and poked to strive for a sinless life. We need to be pushed forward to who is coming. We need to be reminded in this Advent Season that our King and Savior comes not only as a human child, but promises to return again to triumph over death and make that possible for us also. That our Lord comes twice to bring eternal life and peace and in an everlasting Kingdom.

This Kingdom of God is what we are waiting for as we continue this Advent Season. As we anticipate the birth of that little baby in Bethlehem, let us keep our eyes fixed on the real prize:

The Kingdom of God!!

Amen.
 
 
Delivered at In The Garden Ministry, Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square, Columbus, OH; 11 December 2016

Advent Candlelighting Liturgy

As the season of Advent approaches, I am re-posting an Advent Candlelighting liturgy. . .

Blessed Advent!
 
 
Advent Candlelighting Liturgy

First Sunday in Advent

Leader: Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ. He is Emmanuel, the hope of all peoples; he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us; he is the Saviour of every nation. O God, let your blessing come upon our community gathered here before you.

Bless us and our advent wreath. (+)

May the light that shines forth from these candles illumine our way as we journey towards Christmas; may the light that shines forth from them illumine our lives as we wait in hope for the birth of the Christ-child. We ask this through Christ who is the Light of the World. Amen.

As our nights grow longer and our days grow short, we look on these earthly signs–light and green branches– and remember God’s promise to our world: Christ, our Light and our Hope, will come.

Listen to the words of Isaiah the prophet:

Scripture:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined… For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:2, 6)

Reader: Today we look with anticipation to the coming of an Anointed One, a Messiah, as foretold through Old Testament history. As God’s people were abused by power hungry kings, led astray by false prophets, there were some who prayed for God to raise up a new king who could show them how to be God’s people.

People: Today we give thanks for those among us who bring us surprising new visions of hope, who challenge us to think outside the box, who show us a future we could never anticipate.

Candlelighter: On this first Sunday of Advent, we light this Hope Candle as a symbol of the hope and anticipation of the birth of the Christ Child.

(Light a purple candle.)

Prayer: O God, rejoicing, we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from this candle, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring life into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
 
 
Second Sunday in Advent

Scripture:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned (John 3:16-18).

Reader: Today we remember that God gave us His only Son, to live among us as a human, suffering as we do. And He loved us so much that he sacrificed His Son so that we may all have eternal life.

People: Today we thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. We who have sat in darkness have seen a great light, the light of Jesus Christ, our salvation.

Candlelighter: On this second Sunday in Advent, we light the Love Candle as a symbol of God’s love that sent his Son to live among us and die for our salvation.
(Light two blue candles.)

Prayer: O God, rejoicing, we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from this candle, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring life into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
 
 
Third Sunday in Advent

Scripture:

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’ (Luke 1:46-49)

Reader: Today we look with joy to Mary and the Savior that grows in her womb. Mary sang boldly when she might have been meek; she carries the beginning of a mighty revolution as the proud are brought down and the lowly lifted up.

People: Today we give thanks for the Marys among us, who step out of the roles society has planned; unintended pioneers determined to do as God asks; fearless and fearfully stepping out in faith, and beckoning us to do the same.

Candlelighter: On this third Sunday of Advent, we light this Joy Candle as a symbol of Mary, mother of God, bearer of the Way, and in joy of the anticipated birth of the Christ Child.

(Light two purple candles and one pink candle.)

Prayer: O God, rejoicing, we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from this candle, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring life into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
 
 
Fourth Sunday in Advent

Scripture:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Reader: Today we remember Joseph, worn-out traveler and worried husband, doing what was necessary for the sake of his family, the burden of poverty stifling his hope in the promise of God. There was no room for him, yet he knows to whom he belongs.

People: Today we give thanks for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace. We who live in discord and strife have found peace in the promise of eternal life, through Jesus Christ. Amen..

Candlelighter: On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the Peace Candle as a symbol of the Prince of Peace and God’s eternal kingdom.

(Light all candles on wreath.)

Prayer: O God, rejoicing, we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from this candle, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring life into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
 
 
Christmas Day
(Insert white candle in center of wreath)

Scripture:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Then the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:1-20)

Reader: As we light these candles today, we thank God for hope he gives us, for the peace he bestows, for the joy he pours into our hearts, and for the love that redeems us and shows us the way

People: Today we thank God for his gift of Jesus. We thank him that through Christ his light has come into the world and made it possible for us to see, and in seeing, to rejoice. His truth, his love, his very self, transforms all who receive him

Candlelighter: On this Christmas Day, Loving God, Emmanuel, we thank you for being with us -for sending your Son to walk with us and to lead us. Grant that the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love of which we have heard and spoken of throughout Advent may be fully realized in us as we worship and serve you through Christ Jesus our Lord, this both now, and in the new year that comes this night, and forevermore. Amen.

(Light all candles on wreath and Christ candle.)