People's Prayers: Prayers of the People: This One Day Journey is for a Lifetime ~ 4th Sunday of Advent Part 1, WCLWC* '23 Yr B

For Sunday, December 24, 2023, Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 118:14-26, 1 Peter 1:10-12, Luke 1:26-38

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, proclaiming peace, proclaiming salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns, Daughter.” [Isaiah 52:7]

This is the day that the Creator of All has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:24]

It was revealed to the women and men who prophesied that they were not serving themselves but you all, in regard to the things that have been announced to you through those who brought you good news – gospel – by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; these are the thigs into which angels long to look! [1 Peter 1:12]

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And...you will bear a son, and you will name him Jesus...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." [Luke 1:26-38]

Welcome to Advent, for a description of the unusual readings we are using for Advent, click here to read the introduction: https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2023/11/prayers-of-people-new-advent-ure-begins.html

It’s especially difficult this year to think about the 4^th Sunday of Advent as it falls on the day of Christmas Eve. Many will ignore this last Advent Sunday morning Church service completely as the afternoon, evening, and/or late services will be better attended. But if you take a breath and stop for a moment this week, here are some thoughts about what our coming Christ-Mass is all about. The wait, for many or most, is over and the final preparations are nearly complete. The excitement and sparkle of the lights and music and the results of holiday planning are at hand. Some may feel anxious about questions such as: do we have that thing, or the other thing, and the third thing? Is the wrapping done, do we have all the food? Yet there are a few questions that may have slipped our thoughts along the way such as who will be alone on Christmas, some perhaps for the first time in their long lives? And what about those who are suffering physically, emotionally, economically, and for other life-issues? Hopefully, some provision of money, food, other donation, or invitations have already been remembered and given but, there’s ALWAYS need and especially AFTER Christmas and New Year’s and other celebrations when the need is even greater and donations have diminished significantly.

First, acknowledging that it is Christmas Eve, here are a couple of extra questions to think about: how did we actually get to this celebration? Who decided THE date? While we know about the shepherds and choirs of angels, we have never heard how the people at the allegedly-filled Inn responded to all the ruckus in, around, and above that stable or cave or other theories about where it all happened. You’d think the whole town would have been intrigued about all the fuss. We’re told about those “wise men” following the star, left gifts and left town, and we’ve never been told about when they returned to their homeland. Did they tell anyone?

Second, the other part of our reason for the season is that in the 4th century, the newly Christianized Emperor Constantine, appropriated the Winter Solstice festivals of the sun and other deities from pagan religious traditions ~ the Celts and Egyptians among others ~ for the wholly and holy Christian commemoration of Christ's birth. Perhaps he assumed that if they're going to party anyway, he would mandate a different reason. After all, none of the birth narratives in the Bible tell us a date or even a season when Jesus was born. December 25th became the official date for the celebration everywhere in the Church under Pope Julius I, not long after Constantine's decree. The December “Winter Solstice” only applies in the northern hemisphere as in the southern hemisphere it is the “Summer Solstice” and the date is generally December 22. But after well over 2 millennia, the whole world is accustomed to Christmas on December 25^th and for half our world it is the beginning of summer.

Yet NOW, on this Sunday morning, it is STILL ADVENT. We are gifted yet again, with the Rev. Dr. Gafney’s translations with today’s readings, highlighting that women as well as men prophesied and held important roles in the lives of Jewish culture at the time of the birth of Jesus. I have always loved the Isaiah passage beginning with How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet … and now especially with the addition of the word daughter. And what better time than this Final Sunday of Advent to embrace and celebrate the crucial role of Mary in our salvation. Today we light the candle of Love on the Advent Wreath as we light again the candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy. This last Sunday of Advent is also a moment in Anglican-Episcopal theology to remember Mary ~ not merely as the Theotokos [theo-tow-kohs], God-Bearer, but more so because she "...found favor with God." [Luke 1:30a of The Song of Mary/Magnificat] She was chosen because this favor acknowledged her devotion, because she heard God's word and believed, because she was faith-filled and faithful. God’s call to her was to bear and deliver to us the fulfillment of God's ultimate Promise, Jesus.

The Love of God became human flesh through human pre-natal development and physical birth from a mother who would willingly accept her vocation and have some understanding of its meaning. The Angel Gabriel brought Mary the message of God’s call, as she, very young and certainly fearful of such an apparition and request, was still able to courageously ask How can this be? Mary would have known the story of her Hebrew people and likely some of the prophecies of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. She would likely have had a quick rush of emotion recognizing the importance and the trials of a mother of a great leader of faith for God’s people. She could have humbly refused. God offers a call yet never forces us to obey. Mary, most humbly, accepted.

Third, we can discover what Christmas and Christ really mean to our everyday lives when we spend some time with ourselves. Dig deep and listen, examine the promises we have made in moments of true devotion and in times of crisis, the promises kept and the ones we meant to keep in the moment they were made. How do we allow Mary's example of Let it be with me according to your word to manifest in our lives? It is time to begin again to find the Christ within us and let his light shine through us; to believe again, or for the first time, the angel's words: For nothing will be impossible with God.

Within just this one day, we journey from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus our Christ, the Son who forever outshines the sun. Do not be afraid to stop, listen, think, and pray in hope, peace, joy, love, and faith.

*Readings for Advent this year are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and is the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church and translator of its biblical selections. Learn more about her and her work at her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

For Advent IV, December 24, 2023: Isaiah 52:7-10: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, proclaiming peace, bringing good news, proclaiming salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns, daughter.” 8. Daughter, the sound of your sentinels, lifting their voice! As one they sing for joy: for from one eye to another they see the return of the Holy One of Sinai to Zion. 9. Revel! Raise a song together, you ruins of Jerusalem. For the Holy One of Old has comforted God’s people, God has redeemed Jerusalem. 10. The Mighty God has bared a holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Psalm 118:14-26: The Mighty God is my strength and my might and has become my salvation. 15. The sound of song and of salvation is in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Most High is mighty; 16. the right hand of the Mighty God is exalted; the right hand of the Most High is mighty.” 17. I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Ancient of Days. 18. The Merciful God has punished me severely, but to death did not hand me over. 19. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Fount of Justice. 20. This is the gate of the Living God; the righteous shall enter through it. 21. I thank you for you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23. This is the Mighty God’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24. This is the day that the Creator of All has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25. Save us, we pray, Saving One! Generous One, we pray, grant us prosperity! 26. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God Who is Holy. We bless you from the house of the Ever-Living God.

1 Peter 1:10: Concerning this salvation, the women and men who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made searched diligently and inquired earnestly, 11. discerning with regard to the time that the Spirit of the Messiah within them made known when testifying before time of the sufferings and following glory of the Messiah. 12. It was revealed to the women and men who prophesied that there were serving not themselves but you all, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news – gospel – by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; these are things into which angels long to look!

Luke 1:26-38: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, Nazareth, 27. to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28. And the angel came to Mary and said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Most High God is with you.” 29. Now, she was troubled by the angel’s words and pondered what sort of greeting this was. 30. Then the angel said to her, “Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31. And now, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Sovereign God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his sovereignty there will be no end. 34. Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have not known a man intimately?” 35. The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit, she will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the one born will be holy. He will be called Son of God. 36. And now, Elizabeth your kinswoman has even conceived a son in her old age and this is the sixth month for she who was called barren. 37. For nothing will be impossible with God. 38. Then Mary said, “Here am I, the woman-slave of God; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ God Almighty, Great and Merciful, purify our souls and grant us the humility to live according to Your Word and Will. Awaken our hearts to be eager in child-like anticipation for the coming celebration of this Holy Infant, our Hope and our Redeemer.

Gracious and Eternal God

RESPONSE: Fill us with Mary’s Wonder, Hope, and Trust

~ God Almighty, Great and Merciful, keep us vigilant, consistent, and insistent as we advocate constantly for the causes of compassion, peace, and cooperation among all who govern in our World, in our Nation, and in our Villages, Towns, and Cities. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Gracious and Eternal God