For Sunday, December
18, 2016, 4th Sunday of Advent, Year A, Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm
80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. [Isaiah 7:14]
Restore us, O Lord God of Hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. [Psalm 80:7]
...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
[Matthew 1:20b-22]
Restore us, O Lord God of Hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. [Psalm 80:7]
...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
[Matthew 1:20b-22]
The Season of Advent is nearly over again. As the waiting time is going, the activity level in many households frenetically escalates in anticipation of the Coming. For young children, the anticipation of the coming is about Santa/Father Christmas, presents, colorful lights, sparkling decorations, and sugary delights. For many of us adults, the preparatory time is about the planning, the shopping, the baking, the cooking, and the celebration with friends and family.
Quite a few years ago, a gentleman playwright, as an Artist in Residence, wrote a Christmas musical play for the parochial elementary school my daughters attended - sort of Our Town [the classic small town America play by Thornton Wilder] meets the True Meaning of Christmas - and all of the several hundred students were in the play, with a few having key roles, of course. I regret to say that I cannot recall the exact name of the play, or the playwright's name, but the message remains clear to me. For the moment we'll call the play Emily's Birthday [Emily being the name of the central character in Our Town. If you don't know that play you can get a very quick summary by clicking here: "Our Town" summary ]. A very short description of the premise is that Emily's Birthday is a huge annual event. Emily, who has died, arrives, not quite realizing that she has died, to participate in the celebration of the anniversary of her birth. She finds a grand occasion in the entire town, with glittering decorations, large scale family meals, and many gifts being exchanged, all because it's Emily's Birthday! As we see her in her own family home with each family member happily greeting each other and everyone with "Happy Emily's Birthday," Emily realizes that no one is thinking of her at all, there is no gift for her, nor is there a place at the table for her. While I'm convinced that this message was directed more to us adults, the kids - without any blatant or obvious statement in the script - GOT IT: What is this Birth Day celebration really all about? It's time for all of us to "get it" again.
With but a few days left, let our going concern be more about the Coming. Emmanu-el, whose name means "God (El) is with us," who is our Christ ("anointed one/Messiah") Jesus, will shine His light upon us and we shall be saved. Let us revel in the Hope, the Peace, the Joy, and the Love that these four Sundays of Advent represent. And then let us truly celebrate by preparing ourselves for and remembering the significance, especially in these times, of the Birth of Jesus, the only true GIFT, God's Love Incarnate for our salvation. CHRISTmas is Coming!
Quite a few years ago, a gentleman playwright, as an Artist in Residence, wrote a Christmas musical play for the parochial elementary school my daughters attended - sort of Our Town [the classic small town America play by Thornton Wilder] meets the True Meaning of Christmas - and all of the several hundred students were in the play, with a few having key roles, of course. I regret to say that I cannot recall the exact name of the play, or the playwright's name, but the message remains clear to me. For the moment we'll call the play Emily's Birthday [Emily being the name of the central character in Our Town. If you don't know that play you can get a very quick summary by clicking here: "Our Town" summary ]. A very short description of the premise is that Emily's Birthday is a huge annual event. Emily, who has died, arrives, not quite realizing that she has died, to participate in the celebration of the anniversary of her birth. She finds a grand occasion in the entire town, with glittering decorations, large scale family meals, and many gifts being exchanged, all because it's Emily's Birthday! As we see her in her own family home with each family member happily greeting each other and everyone with "Happy Emily's Birthday," Emily realizes that no one is thinking of her at all, there is no gift for her, nor is there a place at the table for her. While I'm convinced that this message was directed more to us adults, the kids - without any blatant or obvious statement in the script - GOT IT: What is this Birth Day celebration really all about? It's time for all of us to "get it" again.
With but a few days left, let our going concern be more about the Coming. Emmanu-el, whose name means "God (El) is with us," who is our Christ ("anointed one/Messiah") Jesus, will shine His light upon us and we shall be saved. Let us revel in the Hope, the Peace, the Joy, and the Love that these four Sundays of Advent represent. And then let us truly celebrate by preparing ourselves for and remembering the significance, especially in these times, of the Birth of Jesus, the only true GIFT, God's Love Incarnate for our salvation. CHRISTmas is Coming!
LET US,
GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God with us, in these few
days before our Holy Child is born, prepare us to be as Mary, a sacred vessel
that carries You into our world, the conscious reflection of Your Exquisite Love
in every thought and action of our lives.
O
God of Hosts
RESPONSE:
Restore our delight in Your Love
~ Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, infuse those who govern in this world, in our nation, and in our
community, with the compassion, tolerance, and mercy that are the hallmarks of
Your birth and life. Encourage us to pursue justice and truth for every person
on this Earth. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
God of Hosts
Restore our delight in Your Love
~ Emmanuel, Emmanuel, free all who suffer from pain,
loneliness, and fear, and renew the vitality of those who attend to their
needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those
in need…
O
God of Hosts
Restore our delight in Your Love
~ Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, walk
with those weighed down by sorrow until the time and place when suffering and
grief are no more, and the joy of eternity embraces us all. We pray
especially for:
O
God of Hosts
Restore our delight in Your Love
~ Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, we pause in this moment
to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…
O
God of Hosts
Restore our delight in Your Love
~ Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, we lift up to You, all who lead us in Your Church, that they may
always feel the depth of You in themselves and impart to us the mystery of Your
breadth in our lives. We pray especially for:
O
God of Hosts
Restore our delight in Your Love
The
Celebrant adds: Dear God of
Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Always, help us to set aside the frantic activity that distracts us, and
quietly breathe into the present moment. Let us savor the anticipation
with prayerful, expectant patience as we await our Messiah, the only true Gift of any season. We ask through
Jesus, the Sacred Incarnation of Love, and the Holy Spirit, the Divine Repository of our
Faith, who together with You are One God, Holy, Mighty, and Eternal. Amen.
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