You will say in that day, “I will give thanks to you, Redeeming One, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, then you confronted me. Behold! God is my salvation; I will trust and I will not fear, for Yah** [She Who Is] GOD is my strength and my might and has become my salvation.”
Give thanks to the ANCIENT OF DAYS who is good; God’s faithful love is everlasting! Let the children of Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah say, “God’s faithful love is everlasting!”…Let those who revere the FIRE OF SINAI say, “God’s faithful love is everlasting!” [Psalm 118:1-2, 4]
…Grace to you and peace from the One who is and who was and who is to come…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of those who reign on the earth…”Fear not; I am the First and the Last and the Living One. I was dead, and look! I am alive forever and ever!” [Revelation 1:4b,5,17b-18a
*Readings for our Parish in this Year C 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 Yr C, here after designated on my posts as WCL and translator of its biblical selections. Learn more about her and her work at her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/ [for slightly more detail, see my blog post for December 1, 2024, Advent I WCL, see link below] The readings and prayers of the people follow.
** In one important note this week, Dr. Gafney’s explains Yah [She Who Is] GOD: “’Yah’ (as in hallelujah/hallelu-yah) is, according to grammatical form, feminine…In some contemporary Jewish feminist practice and prayer…a feminine name for God…also the first syllable of the unpronounceable of YHWH…there are no strictures on pronouncing the first syllable. In Isaiah 1:2, I offer a feminine reading option in brackets for those who so choose.” Dr. Gafney explains her process and sources of translation of each reading she uses in her book, which is impossible to offer in this space. Fascinating and illuminating, not merely because of the womanist highlighting, but for a greater appreciation of and fresh perspective in each biblical reading as most are not, or rarely, used in Sunday preaching or Daily Lectionaries. For slightly more information: See: https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2024/11/prayers-of-people-advent-ure-begins.html
Dr. Gafney's Readings for Advent III, December 15, 2024:
Isaiah 12:1-6: You will say in that day, “I will give thanks to you, Redeeming One, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, then you confronted me. 2. Behold! God is my salvation; I will trust and I will not fear, for Yah [She Who Is] GOD is my strength and my might and has become my salvation.” 3. Then you all shall with joy draw water from the wells of salvation. 4. And you all shall say in that day, “Give thanks to the GOD OF OUR SALVATION, call on God’s name; acclaim God’s deeds among the nations, make known that God’s name is exalted.” 5. Sing praises to the MIGHTY GOD, who has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. 6 Shout [daughter]! Sing [daughter]! [Daughter,] you who dwell in Zion! For great in your midst [daughter] is the Holy One of Israel!
Psalm 118:1–9; 14–21: 1 Give thanks to the ANCIENT OF DAYS who is good; God’s faithful love is everlasting! 2 Let the children of Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah say, “God’s faithful love is everlasting!” 3 Let the house of Elisheba’s descendants say, “God’s faithful love is everlasting!” 4 Let those who revere the FIRE OF SINAI say, “God’s faithful love is everlasting!” 5 Out of my distress I called on YAH, THE ARK OF SAFETY; the FAITHFUL GOD answered me and set me in a broad place. 6 With the DREAD GOD on my side I do not fear. What can the children of earth and Eve do to me? 7 The FEARSOME GOD is for me, to help me; I shall look [down] upon those who hate me. 8 Better is it to shelter in the SAVING GOD than to trust in the woman-born. 9 Better is it to shelter in the SAVING GOD than to trust in the high-born. 14 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.
Revelation 1:4–6, 8, 12–18: John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you all and peace from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before God’s throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of those who reign on the earth. To Jesus who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us to reign, priests serving his God and Father, to Christ be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Sovereign God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 12 And I turned to see whose voice spoke with me and turning, I saw seven golden lampstands. 13 And in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Woman, wearing a robe (down to the feet) and with a golden sash wrapped around their chest. 14 Their head and hair were white as wool, white as snow and their eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 Their feet were like fine bronze, like that refined in a furnace, and their voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 And they had in their right hand seven stars and from their mouth a sharp two-edged sword came and their face was like the sun shining with all its power. 17 Now when I saw [the one like the Son of Woman], I fell at their feet as dead. Then they placed their right hand on me, saying, “Fear not; I am the First and the Last 18 and the Living One. I was dead, and look! I am alive forever and ever! And I have the keys of Death and of Hades.”
Leader: ~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, infuse our conscious preparations for the celebration just ahead, with many every-day faith-filled moments reminding us to look beyond the holly and holiday for the Hope, Peace, and Joy we can find before, on, and always after the Holy Day of our Savior’s birth.
~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, infuse us with such joy for the birth of our Christ again, that we turn away from the tide of hatred and division around us. Guide us to inspire all who design or impose their political pathways on this world, this nation, and this community, to turn toward justice, compassion, and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, restore health and hope for all afflicted with serious illness, addiction, or despair, and strengthen all who give them love and support. We now join our hearts to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, soothe the grieving with the comfort of knowing that You have gathered those we love into the blissful splendor Your Eternal Home. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
~ O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, grant special grace and enduring eagerness to all anointed to serve You in Your Church, as they draw us to You on our journey to salvation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
The Celebrant adds: MIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD, OUR FOUNT OF JUSTICE, continually
revive our desire to bear good, worthy, and faith-filled fruit in our souls.
Turn us always to You, that we may receive and experience the depth of Your
love for us with each and every breath we are given, and to give, in turn, to
all we meet. We ask through Jesus, the Son of Woman, our Sovereign; and the
Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; who together with You are One LIVING GOD, MOST
HIGH, forever and ever. Amen.