Advent Prayer Guide

Copyright © 2009 Christ Church. All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without permission.

Prayer Guide for Advent & ChristmasAnd the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.- Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957)...

Men’s curiosity searches past and futureAnd clings to that dimension. But to apprehendThe point of intersection of the timelessWith time, is an occupation for the saint - No occupation either, but something givenAnd taken, in a lifetime’s death in love,Ardour and selflessness and self-surrender.For most of us, there is only the unattended Moment, the moment in and out of time,The distraction fit, lost in a shaft of sunlight,The wild thyme unseen, or the winter lightningOr the waterfall, or music heard so deeply That it is not heard at all, but you are the musicWhile the music lasts. These are only hints and guesses,Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.The hint half guessed, the gift half understood is Incarnation.Here the impossible union Of spheres of existence is actual,Here the past and futureAre conquered, and reconciled.- T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets (1943)...

What does the Church think of Christ? The Church's answer is categorical and uncompromising, and it is this: That Jesus Bar-Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth, was in fact and in truth, and in the most exact and literal sense of the words, the God 'by whom all things were made' . . . Now, this is not just a pious commonplace; it is not a commonplace at all. For what it means is this, among other things: that for whatever reason God chose to make man as he is - limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death - he (God) had the honesty and the courage to take his own medicine. Whatever game he is playing with his creation, he has kept his own rules and played fair. He can exact nothing from man that he has not exacted from himself. He has himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair, and death. When he was a man, he played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile.- Dorothy Sayers, The Greatest Drama Ever Staged (1938)...

To present a positively beautiful man… is the most difficult subject in the world, especially as it is now. All writers, not just our, but European writers, too, have always failed whenever they attempted a portrait of the positively beautiful. Because the task is so infinite. The beautiful is an ideal, but both our ideal and that of civilized Europe are still far from being shaped. There is only one positively beautiful person in the world, Christ, and the phenomenon of this limitlessly, infinitely beautiful person is an infinite miracle in itself.- Fyodor Dostoevsky, Letter to his niece Sophia (1868)

2


Introduction to the Christian Year“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

The Christian year refers to Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and the season after Trinity. These seasons shape the life of the Church by:

• Addressing the problem of time• Celebrating God’s mighty acts of salvation• Teaching the historic Christian faith• Proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God

Addressing the problem of time

All philosophy, all religion is ultimately an attempt to solve “the problem of time.” Through time on the one hand, we experience life as a possibility, growth, fulfillment, as a movement toward a future. Through time, on the other hand, all future is dissolved in death and annihilation. Time constantly dissolves life in a past which no longer is, and in a future which always leads to death.

Take a moment to reflect upon this statement – “Tell me what you celebrate, and I will tell you who you are.” Our culture, like all human societies, seeks to deal with “the problem of time” through our major holidays, celebrations, and feasts. What do these holidays tell us about our culture’s identities, goals, ambitions, and worldviews? Are these feasts ultimately satisfying and edifying? In the materialist narrative between the Big Bang and the Big Crunch (or Big Cool Down), do they give us rest and joy and meaning and life? Or do they prove, as the Teacher in Ecclesiastes insists, “Meaningless, meaningless; all is meaningless”?

The Christian year is meant to be the counter-cultural response of the “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church” – Christians around the world and through the ages – to “the problem of time,” the meaningless cycle beginning in chaos and ending in death. Through the Christian year, the Church recognizes the inability of secularism, religion, or philosophy to satisfy our hunger and thirst for God. Thus, the Church seeks to minister to humanity’s absolutely irrepressible need for rest, for feasting, for joy, for meaning, for life by leading us to God – as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ – through a weekly Sunday feast that celebrates the resurrection and through seasonal feasts that walk us through the events of Jesus’ life.

In this way, we do not merely live through the endless cycle of winter, spring, summer, and fall; rather, our time begins and ends in Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8, 17). As opposed to merely trying to bring Christian emphases into secular time, the Church transforms the day, the week, and the year into the very means of experiencing God’s saving work. The prayers, lessons, and themes of our weekly celebrations and daily prayer cause us to experience time in terms of our redemption. Our personal life stories take on new context and meaning in our connection with God’s story. Our minds are transformed and renewed (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24) by constantly remembering and experiencing again the drama of our salvation.

“We must understand that the intensive, almost pathological, preoccupation of our modern world with time and its ‘problem’ is rooted in a specifically Christian failure. It is because of us Christians that the world in which we live has literally no time… For the modern Christian the relation between the ‘Christian year’ and time has become incomprehensible and, therefore, irrelevant… No [Christian] seriously thinks of [the feasts] as the very heart of the Church’s life and mission… Feast means joy. Yet, if there is something that we – the serious, adult, and frustrated Christians of the twentieth century – look at with suspicion, it is certainly joy… Consciously or subconsciously Christians have accepted the whole ethos of our joyless and business-minded culture… Christians have ceased to believe that the joy of the feast has something to do precisely with the ‘serious problems’ of life itself, may even be the Christian answer to them.” (Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World, 1963)

3


Celebrating God’s mighty acts of salvation

Think about the appointed feasts that Jesus and the apostles celebrated (Leviticus 23; Gospel of John). How do they draw each generation of the people of God into the Grand Story about God’s redeeming love for his people and the world?

• Rosh Hashanah: new year celebration of the creation of humanity• Yom Kippur: the day of atonement for sin• Sukkot (Tabernacles): protection in the wilderness• Chanukah: protection from the Romans• Purim: protection from the Persians• Pesach (Passover): liberation from slavery in Egypt by the blood of the lamb• Bikkurim (First Fruits): harvest time between Passover and Pentecost• Shavuot (Pentecost): completion of the harvest and the giving of Torah

Likewise, the feasts of the Church, as fulfillments of the Jewish feasts, help us celebrate God’s mighty acts of salvation in Christ. The following children’s song is a helpful guide through the Christian year:

Advent tells us Christ is near;Christmas tells us Christ is here!In Epiphany we traceall the glory of his grace.

Those three Sundays before Lentwill prepare us to repent;that in Lent we may beginearnestly to mourn for sin.

Holy Week and Easter, then,tell who died and rose again;O that happy Easter Day!"Christ is risen indeed," we say.

Yes, and Christ ascended, too,to prepare a place for you;so, we give him special praise,after those great Forty Days.

Then, he sent the Holy Ghost,on the Day of Pentecost,with us ever to abide;well may we keep Whitsuntide!

Last of all, we humbly singglory to our God and King,glory to the One in Three,on the Feast of Trinity.

By retelling the story of God’s mighty acts of salvation through Jesus, the Christian fasts and feasts root the Church more deeply in our identity and mission as followers of Jesus.

Teaching the historic Christian faith

One might say that the Christian year is the first curriculum of the Church to teach the faith. The embodied celebrations of Christmas and Easter, for instance, express the historic Christian faith

4


better than abstract dogmatic and theological formulas about the Incarnation and Resurrection. Through each feast we grow in our knowledge about the words and deeds of Jesus and what it means to follow him.

We may think of the Christian Year as two semesters for reliving the events of Jesus’ life:• Semester 1: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany• Semester 2: Lent, Holy Week/Easter, Pentecost

Each of the feasts in the two semesters are mirror images of one another that shape the life and vocation of the Church:• Anticipation: Advent, Lent• Fulfillment: Christmas, Holy Week/Easter• Proclamation Epiphany, Pentecost

Proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). When we read the Gospels, Jesus is a broken record about the coming kingdom of God. The Christian year gives the Church the opportunity to continue Jesus’ broken-record proclamation in our time to our culture: The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!

Ask yourself, “When are my friends, neighbors, and co-workers most likely to come to church with me?” Most folks in the Bay Area will likely take you up on an invitation to a Christmas or Easter worship service (especially if you host a party afterwards!).

G.K. Chesterton wrote, "The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why."

Thus, we devote much prayer, thought, and energy to the Christmas and Easter seasons for the sake of those you bring to Christ Church. Our hope is that you, and those you bring to our celebrations, might hear the good news and “enter into the joy of the master” (Matthew 25).

5


Introduction to Advent and Christmas

Advent Advent is a word that means “coming” or “arrival.” It is a four-week period in which the church looks back to Jesus’ first coming as our Savior, and looks forward to his second coming as our Judge. Just as John the Baptist told the Jewish people to “prepare” for the Lord’s coming, we need to encourage each other to be ready for his coming again, when he will fulfill God’s promises and renew all things. Indeed, the kingdom of God will come “on earth as it is in heaven” – the wolf will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, the dead in Christ will rise to new life, and every tear will be wiped away. As Isaiah the prophet says, “Prepare the way for the Lord… The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together” (Isaiah 40:3-5).

So what do we do during Advent? We wait and prepare ourselves. We commit ourselves to spiritual renewal through weekly Sunday worship and daily prayer as the means of God’s grace. We fast by giving up something we enjoy on a regular basis to deepen our hunger and desire for God. We give alms for those in need. We tell others about the joy and hope of Jesus’ return to be king and put the world to rights. We pray the final prayer in the Bible, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Christmas

Christmas is a word that derives from “Christ Mass,” the Eucharistic feast celebrating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a twelve-day period in which the church rejoices over the Incarnation of Jesus, “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.” Advent expectations have been fulfilled, the long-awaited Messiah has come, the light of the world has been born, a new day has dawned. As we say in the Nicene Creed, “For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven.” God became man to destroy the evil that destroys us, to restore creatures to their Creator, and to give us eternal life. God united himself with humans in order for humans to be re-united with God. As John says in his Gospel, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This is why the angels praised God at Jesus’ birth saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven” (Luke 2:14).

So what do we do during Christmas? We rejoice in Emmanuel, God with us. Beginning with the vigil of Christmas Eve, we party. In some families, it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the twelve days of Christmas. Moreover, celebrating Christmas means that we focus on becoming more like Christ who “came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Thus, Christmas is an exercise in humility. As Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:3-7). While we party at Christmas, we also look for ways to be united with Jesus in his humiliation so that others in our lives can know the joy of the Incarnation, God with us.

6


Introduction to This Prayer GuideA word from the pastors“They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42, 47)

“Blessed are those who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on his law day and night. They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:2-3)

We have found that seasons such as Advent-Christmas and Lent-Easter are wonderful opportunities for us to rekindle our devotional lives, and especially to focus on the quality of our family worship. We have prepared this guide for daily prayer with the hope that this season will be a time of renewal for you as well. These readings are a continuation of a regular daily program of Bible reading and prayer, which may be read and prayed through along with Christians the world over. May they become a valuable aspect of your regular spiritual rhythms, and may they fire your imagination and fuel your passions as you consider afresh your unique calling in the mission of Christ and his church for a new year.

Have a blessed Advent and Christmas,Bart, Jonathan, Jose, and Eric

An encouragement for familiesAdvent and Christmas is an excellent time of the year to create family traditions and cultivate a culture of worship with your children. Family worship can be wonderfully informal. Try observing family worship thirty minutes before bedtime – teeth are brushed, pajamas are on. And depending on circumstances, attentiveness of the children, etc. plan on anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Perhaps you might:

• Sing favorite Advent and Christmas songs.• Read and discuss the scripture lesson.• Light the Advent candle. Remind the children that Jesus came as light into the darkness, and is

coming again. • Pray together.• Sing more songs.

Definitions and notesThis guide is intended to be used in conjunction with the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer (MP) and Evening Prayer (EP) in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). If you need help learning to use the prayer book, ask a pastor to pray and talk through it with you.

Reflection

Each of these reflections come from The Crown of the Year: Weekly Paragraphs for the Holy Sacrament by Austin Farrer. British theologian and New Testament scholar Austin Farrer was a member of "Oxford Christians," conversing frequently with C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, and T. S. Eliot. He has been called "the one true genius of the Church of England in the 20th century." Farrer brought C.S. Lewis the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on his deathbed.

Collect

Each prayer is the Sunday collect from the BCP. This prayer “collects,” or summarizes, the theme of the day and week. This is to be prayed each day of the week.

7


Daily lectionary This is a systematic order of daily readings from the Bible with selections from the Psalms, Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospels.

The Psalms (from “Praises”) are at the heart of the Bible and of MP and EP; the Psalms were the book of common prayer for Jesus and the apostles. It is preferable to read, chant, or sing the Psalms aloud; and in corporate prayer it is best for the leader (or half of the group) to pray the odd verses and the rest of group to pray the even verses. You may pray the appointed Psalms for MP and EP from the lectionary, or you may use the following table, which allows you to pray through the Psalter every month.

Day Morning Prayer Evening Prayer 1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 82 9, 10, 11 12, 13, 143 15, 16, 17 18 4 19, 20, 21 22, 235 24, 25, 26 27, 28, 296 30, 31 32, 33, 347 35, 36 378 38, 39, 40 41, 42, 439 44, 45, 46 47, 48, 4910 50, 51, 52 53, 54, 5511 56, 57, 58 59, 60, 6112 62, 63, 64 65, 66, 6713 68 69, 70 14 71, 72 73, 7415 75, 76, 77 7816 79, 80, 81 82, 83, 84, 8517 86, 87, 88 8918 90, 91, 92 93, 9419 95, 96, 97 98, 99, 100, 10120 102, 103 10421 105 10622 107 108, 10923 110, 111, 112, 113 114, 11524 116, 117, 118 119:1-3225 119:33-72 119:73-10426 119:105-144 119:145-17627 120, 12l, 122, 123, 124, 125 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131 28 132, 133, 134, 135 136, 137, 13829 139, 140 141, 142, 14330 144, 145, 146 147, 148, 149, 150

Scripture meditations

During Advent, these meditations walk through the biblical narrative from creation to new creation. During Christmas, these meditations walk through the familiar song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” which may be used as a song of instruction for children about the basic teachings of the historic Christian faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song may refer to God himself; the "me" who receives the presents may refer to everyone who is baptized into Christ and his church.

8


The First Sunday in AdventNovember 29-December 5, 2009ReflectionOur journey sets out from God in our creation, and returns to God at the final judgment. As the bird rises from the earth to fly, and must some time return to the earth from which it rose; so God sends us forth to fly, and we must fall back into the hands of God at last. But God does not wait for the failure of our and the expiry of our days to drop us back into his lap. He goes himself to meet us and everywhere confronts us. Where is the countenance which we must finally look in the eyes, and not be able to turn away our head? It smiles up at Mary from the cradle, it calls Peter from the nets, it looks on him with grief when he has denied his master. Our judge meets us at every step of our way, with forgiveness on his lips and succor in his hands. He offers us these things while there is yet time. Every day opportunity shortens, our scope for learning our Redeemer’s love is narrowed by twenty-four hours, and we come nearer to the end of our journey, when we shall fall into the hands of the living God, and touch the heart of the devouring fire.

Collect

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee.Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king,born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.By thine own eternal Spirit,rule in all our hearts alone;by thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.

Daily LectionarySunday, the Lord's Day, the First Sunday of Advent

Morning: Psalms Isa. 1:1-9Evening: Psalms 2 Peter 3:1-10; Matt. 25:1-13

MondayMorning: Psalms Isa. 1:10-20Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 1:1-10 Luke 20:1-8

9


TuesdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 1:21-31Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 2:1-12; Luke 20:9-18

WednesdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 2:1-4Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 2:13-20; Luke 20:19-26

ThursdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 2:5-22Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 3:1-13; Luke 20:27-40

FridayMorning: Psalms Isa. 3:1-4:1Evening: Psalms 1Thess. 4:1-12; Luke 20:41-21:4

SaturdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 4:2-6Evening: Psalms I Thess. 4:13-18; Luke 21:4-19

Scripture Meditations

Sunday: God Made Us to Live in His Light (Genesis 1:26-31)

Do you know what God said first when he created the world (1:3)? These verses show us that God made us to be like him, and to know him. If God made us, then we can trust everything he tells us in his Word, and we can trust him to take care of us. But do we trust God, and are we really like him? Pray that the Lord will help us understand how much we need his light!

Monday: We Chose to Live in Darkness (Genesis 3:1-13, 22-24)

What did God say would happen if we distrust him and disobey him? What does the devil tell us about our heavenly father? Is this true? Can you think of things about our world that remind you that we no longer live in “God’s garden?” Thank God for sending Jesus into the world so that we can someday return to his garden. Confess some of the ways that you have failed to trust his Word.

Tuesday: God Promises to Deliver Us (Genesis 3:14-15, 21)

God tells the serpent (the devil) that a descendant of the woman is coming to make right what he has done wrong. Who is this child he is promising? It is Jesus - on the cross Satan “struck his heel.” But by making it possible for us to be forgiven, Jesus “crushed [Satan’s] head.” Look at what God does for Adam and Eve. This shows us that even though we are sinners, God loves us and wants to take care of us. Thank God for sending Jesus to set right everything that is wrong.

Wednesday: God Judges our Sin, But Provides a Way Out (Genesis 6:9-14, 17-22)

This story shows us that God is “holy” - that is, he alone is perfectly good, and punishes those who hurt others, and who disobey his Word. But Noah shows us that God will save those who turn to him and trust him. Talk about how the church is a sort of “ark” - does Christ Church look like an ark? The church is made up of men, women, boys, and girls, who believe that God is willing to forgive us our sins and deliver us from the judgment to come. Thank God for his mercy, and pray that we would be instrumental in bringing many people onto our ark!

Thursday: God Wants to Call Many People in to His Family (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6)

Have you ever moved far away from home? God called Abram to move all the way across his world! God wanted Abram to trust him, and come to a land just for God’s people. Abraham believed God, and God gave him what he promised. Even more – he said, “I’ll give you more children to share this land than you can count, more than the stars.” Look at the stars - how many are there? Well, the New Testament tells us that ultimately this promise is fulfilled in Jesus. He will come back some day

10


to the world God has promised him, and all those who believe in him will live in a new creation. Can you imagine what a perfect world would look like? Would you be willing to move to go live in it, like Abraham did? Thank God for his wonderful invitation to live in the new world he is going to bring when Jesus comes back, and thank him that he wants billions and billions of people to be there with us!

Friday: God Keeps His Promises to Deliver Us (Exodus 14:21-29)

God promised his people a special land to live in, and promised to deliver them from sin. But their sin led them into being taken captive as slaves in Egypt. However, God was faithful, and when they were cornered against the sea, he simply parted the sea so they could escape! Then he brought the sea down on top of the evil people who wanted to hurt God’s people. This shows us that God keeps his promises to deliver us. And as wonderful as this story is, it is even more wonderful to think of all the people Jesus saved when he passed through death and rose again to save us all! Do you think that we can trust Jesus to come back and deliver us from sin once and for all? Thank him for his promise to bring us safely to the promised new world he is making for us.

Saturday: A Prophet Greater than Moses is Coming (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

God told Moses to lead his people out of slavery into the Promised Land. When God appeared to them on Mt. Sinai (also called Mt. Horeb) his voice was so loud it hurt peoples’ ears! They wanted Moses to listen to God to tell them what God had to say. Moses gave them a wonderful promise from God: that someday another prophet was coming who would tell the people exactly what God has to say. Do you know who that prophet was? It was Jesus – who was God, and who came down from heaven to earth. Pray that God would help us to listen to Jesus (his words in the Bible), so that we can know exactly what God thinks, and what he wants to tell us so that we can know him and his plan for our lives.

11


The Second Sunday in AdventDecember 6-12, 2009ReflectionAdvent brings Christmas, judgment runs out into mercy. For the God who saves us and the God who judges us is one God. We are not, even, condemned by his severity and redeemed by his compassion; what judges us is what redeems us, the love of God. What is it that will break our hearts on judgment day? Is it not the vision, suddenly unrolled, of how he has loved the friends we have neglected, of how he has loved us, and we have not loved him in return; how, when we came (as now) before his altar, he gave us himself, and we gave him half—penitences, or resolutions too weak to commit our wills? But while love thus judges us by being what it is, the same love redeems us by effecting what it does. Love shares flesh and blood with us in this present world, that the eyes which look us through at last may find in us a better substance than our vanity.

Collect

Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn Once in Royal David’s City

Once in royal David’s citystood a lowly cattle shedwhere a mother laid here babyin a manger for his bed:Mary was that mother mild,Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heavenwho is God and Lord of all,and his shelter was a stable,and his cradle was a stall:with the poor, the mean, and lowly,Lived on earth our Savior holy.

For he is our childhood's pattern;Day by day, like us he grew;He was little, weak, and helpless,Tears and smiles like us he knew;And he feeleth for our sadness,And he shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him,Through his own redeeming love;For that Child so dear and gentleIs our Lord in heaven above,And he leads his children onTo the place where he is gone.

12


Daily LectionarySunday, the Lord's Day, the Second Sunday in Advent

Morning: Psalms Isa. 5:1-7Evening: Psalms 2 Peter 3:11-18; Luke 7:28-35

MondayMorning: Psalms Isa. 5:8-17Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28

TuesdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 5:18-25Evening: Psalms 1 Thess. 5:12-28; Luke 21:29-38

WednesdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 6:1-13Evening: Psalms 2 Thess. 1:1-12; John 7:53-8:11

ThursdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 7:1-9Evening: Psalms 2 Thess. 2:1-12; Luke 22:1-13

FridayMorning: Psalms Isa. 7:10-25Evening: Psalms 2 Thess. 2:13-3:5; Luke 22:14-30

SaturdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 8:1-15Evening: Psalm 2 Thess. 3:6-18; Luke 22:31-38


Sunday: A Great King is Promised (2 Samuel 7:11b-17)

King David is the greatest king in the Old Testament. What’s your favorite story about David? The prophet Nathan came to him to share a special promise from God: his dynasty would last forever! Even though his son Solomon would make lots of mistakes, the descendants of David would continue to be kings. This promise was kept in a way that was amazing – even after there were no more kings, and people wondered if God had forgotten his promise, God brought Jesus into the world as a descendant of King David and made Jesus King. Jesus was not just “King of Israel” though; he became “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Do you have a favorite super-hero? Thank God that Jesus is even greater!

Monday: The Greatest King Ever is Coming (Isaiah 11:1-4)

The prophet Isaiah lived long after King David, during the times when it looked very bad for Judah (the Southern kingdom) and her kings. He tells us in this prophecy that the GREAT king to come will be a descendant of David. “Jesse” was David’s father, and Isaiah’s prophecy likens the kings from Jesse’s family to a dead tree stump. Have you ever seen a dead stump? Not a likely place to see a healthy tree growing! But nothing is impossible with God. Jesus came into the world when things were looking their worst, God’s gift coming in the midst of our mess, a beautiful green shoot growing out of the dead stump of Israel’s kings. And these verses tell us that no one is more righteous, wise, just, or wonderful than Jesus. Praise him!

Tuesday: A Virgin Will Conceive a Child (Isaiah 7:10-14)

How would you like it if somebody offered you a miracle? Well that is what God offered King Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah - a sign to prove that God would keep his promises to deliver Israel from her enemies if she would trust and obey him. But Ahaz wanted to get out of trouble on his own (by his army) rather than trust God. Isaiah told him about a miracle anyway! The miracle, or “sign,” was that a child was going to be born and named “Immanuel,” a word that means “God with us.” This should have made the king trust God, but it did not. Seven hundred years later this promise was

13


fulfilled when Mary conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. And one of Jesus’ names is “Immanuel”, “God with us.” Are we like Ahaz, not wanting God’s help and blessing? Thank God that he has come to us in Jesus, and commit yourself to trusting in his Word.

Wednesday: A Son is Given (Isaiah 9:6-7)

These verses help us understand just how glorious Jesus is. He is a “Wonderful-Counselor.” People who heard Jesus teach often marveled because he was so wise and understood everything. He is also called “Mighty God” – even though Jesus was fully human, was born and grew up just like you and me, he was also fully God! So Jesus is greater than we can ever even imagine! He is also called the “Prince of Peace.” Peace is a word in the Bible that refers to everything being the way it is supposed to be. Jesus makes things right between God and us by dying for our sins and rising again from the dead and he promises to make everything right when he comes again a second time – to bring peace. Can you think of some things that are not good in the world, or in your life, or in the lives of people you know (e.g. people who are suffering, grieving, sick, or who do not believe in Jesus)? Pray to Jesus and ask him to work to change those things. And remember, he is the Wonderful-Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Thursday: The Lord Himself Will Come with Power (Isaiah 40:1-11)

Did you ever try to talk about happy things when people around you are sad or grumpy? That’s what happened to Isaiah. Things were looking very bad for the people of Judah; they were going to be carried away from their homes by their enemies to live in another land. This made them very sad. But at this low point, Isaiah told them “glad tidings.” He said, “shout from the mountaintops that God is going to gather all his people together someday. He is going to be our shepherd, come to us, and gather us into his arms.” This tells us that when Jesus came, he came to draw us close to his heart, to care for us and take care of us forever. Thank God for sending Jesus as our good shepherd, and for all the ways he takes care of you.

Friday: God is Sending a Servant (Isaiah 42:1-4)

We’ve been reading about how Isaiah said that the coming Messiah would be a great King. Isaiah also describes him as a “servant,” one who comes to serve. This tells us that Jesus came to help us. No matter how sinful we are, or how badly we hurt because of the effects of sin, he is gentle, loving, and able to save us. Have you ever known someone who was so gentle and thoughtful that you could trust them to do anything, like removing a splinter, or looking at a bad cut, and not be afraid? Well Jesus is like that, and more. Ask God to help you to get to know how gentle and loving Jesus is.

Saturday: A Servant Who Suffers (Isaiah 53:1-5)

Jesus is more than just a super-hero. He doesn’t just save us from bad guys –he saves us from the power of our sin. To do that Jesus had to become a human being (what we celebrate at Christmas), but he also had to go to the cross and die, and overcome death through his resurrection (what we celebrate at Easter). Don’t forget about Easter during Christmas! Thank God for all that he has done for us in Jesus - Christmas and Easter.

14


The Third Sunday in AdventDecember 13-19, 2009Reflection Jesus gave his body and blood to his disciples in bread and wine. Amazed at such a token, and little understanding what they did, Peter, John and the rest reached out their hands and took their master and their God. Whatever else they knew or did not know, they knew they were committed to him, body and soul; they were consenting that he should die for them, and that they, somehow, should live it out. The cock had not crowed twice that night before Peter thrice denied, but still he knew he was committed to Christ, for Christ had given him his body and his blood. Christ’s body and blood lived in him, and Christ forgave him; there was no breaking of the sacramental tie. We are not worthy of Christ, but we are bound to Christ. With all the sincerity of our minds let us renew the bond, and pray to live for him who has died for us.

Collect

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come EmmanuelAnd ransom captive IsraelThat mourns in lonely exile here,until the Son of God appears.

REFRAINRejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheerour spirits by thine advent here;disperse the gloomy clouds of night,and death's dark shadows put to flight. REFRAIN

O come, Desire of nations, bindin one the hearts of all mankind;bid thou our sad divisions cease,and be thyself our King of Peace. REFRAIN

O come, O come, Emmanuel,and ransom captive Israel,that mourns in lonely exile hereuntil the Son of God appear. REFRAIN

Daily LectionarySunday, the Lord's Day, the Third Sunday in Advent

Morning: Psalms Isa. 13:6-13Evening: Psalms Heb. 12:18-29; John 3:22-30

15


MondayMorning: Psalms Isa. 8:16-9:1Evening: Psalms 2 Pet. 1:1-11; Luke 22:39-53

TuesdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 9:1-7Evening: Psalms 2 Pet. 1:12-21; Luke 22:54-69

WednesdayMorning: Psalms Is. 9:8-17Evening: Psalms 2 Pet. 2:1-10a; Mark 1:1-8

ThursdayMorning: Psalms Is. 9:18-10:4Evening: Psalms 2 Pet. 2:10b-16; Matt. 3:1-12

FridayMorning: Psalms Is. 10:5-19Evening: Psalms 2 Pet. 2:17-22; Matt. 11:2-15

SaturdayMorning: Psalms Isa. 10:20-27Evening: Psalms Jude 17-25; Luke 3:1-9


Sunday: The First Christian (Luke 1:26-38)

The ancient church used to call Mary the first Christian because she was the very first to hear and to believe that this child was indeed the promised Messiah and Savior. She was frightened when the angel first came, and wouldn’t you be? But she was not frightened for long after she heard the good news about her baby. Do you know what the name Jesus means? It means ‘savior’ or ‘deliverer.’ It is the Greek language equivalent of the Hebrew word ‘Joshua.’ Jesus came to be our great warrior, to deliver us from the power of our great enemy, the devil, and to free us from the power of sin. He is the king of kings, and the son of King David who will reign forever. And Mary leads us in welcoming Jesus as savior. Her words should be ours: “I am the Lord’s servant.” As you pray, commit your life to serving the Lord just as Mary did.

Monday: Leaping for Joy (Luke 1:39-45)

What a happy meeting between Mary and Elizabeth! They were relatives, but we don’t know if Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin or maybe her aunt. Have you ever gotten together with your family and celebrated something wonderful? Well, when Mary and Elizabeth got together to celebrate the good news that Jesus was coming, even little baby John the Baptist got excited! Are you getting excited about Christmas! Tell the Lord about your joy. Did you know that he is excited about you and loves you more than you will ever know? Rejoice in his love – you can even leap if you want!

Tuesday: Magnifying the Lord (Luke 1:46-56)

Have you ever been so excited that you couldn’t hold it in? Have you ever just had to laugh, or run, or sing, or shout? That is what happened to Mary. Our verses are the words of her song, called the “magnificat,” the first Latin word of the song in the old Latin translations. It is translated as “glorifies” or “magnifies.” Do you ever magnify anything? That’s what we do when we really enjoy or are interested in something and want to see it up closer. If we enjoy a really good movie, we love to talk about the funny parts over and over – we magnify it and glory in it. If we have a favorite kind of ice cream or candy, we enjoy eating it and thinking and talking about it - food, glorious food! Mary was that way about God’s plan to send Jesus. She thought about it and rejoiced. She was especially excited that God was going to end all the evil in the world someday - evil kings and politicians, the suffering of the poor, hunger – all tears will someday be wiped away. Can you take a few minutes to “magnify” the Lord? Praise Jesus for all the wonderful things he has done (e.g. forgiving our sins, giving us eternal life, his Spirit to comfort us), and all the wonderful things that will happen when he comes again.

16


Wednesday: The God Man (Matthew 1:18-21)

Imagine how Joseph must have felt when he found out that his fiancée Mary was going to have a baby. They weren’t married yet, and he was afraid that the Daddy was someone else. Imagine his joy when he learned from the angel that this baby didn’t have an earthly Father, but was “incarnate of the Holy Spirit,” (i.e. what was in Mary’s womb was from the Holy Spirit). Now this did not make Jesus part God, and part human. The miracle of Jesus is that he is FULLY God and FULLY human. The other name he was called by says it wonderfully: “Immanuel” - which means, “God with us.” Thank the Lord that Jesus became one of us forever, and that God is with us!

Thursday: Do Not Be Afraid (Matthew 1:22-25)

The angel speaks to Joseph and quotes the words of Isaiah to King Ahaz, words which we read during week 2 (Isaiah 7). Now we see that God keeps his promises even if it takes a long time! Remember how God offered Ahaz a miracle, and the king was afraid of trusting God and said “no”? Well Joseph chooses to not be afraid of what God wants to do in his life. We don’t know much about the life or death of Joseph. The bible gives us precious little information. But what we do know is enough: he wasn’t afraid to entrust himself to the miracle of Jesus and his life was changed forever because of it. As you pray, ask God to help you to never be afraid of what he wants to do in your life through Jesus.

Friday: God Our Redeemer (Luke 1:67-79)

Have you ever desperately wanted something but weren’t sure if you would get it? Have you ever waited on someone for a long time but felt tempted to give up? Have you ever felt stuck in a situation and weren’t sure how you would get out of it? This is what Israel was experiencing before Jesus was born. God made a special relationship (a covenant) with Israel by this promise to Abraham: “I will bless you…you will be a blessing.” God also promised Israel that he would send a new king like David to rule his people. However, after years and years of being trampled underfoot by foreign empires and evil kings, and after century upon century of pain and sorrow, agony and oppression, darkness and death, Israel wondered if God would come through for them. But Zechariah sang a new song, praising God for “coming” (sound familiar?) to redeem Israel, to bring salvation – mercy, forgiveness, and rescue from death itself. How exactly will the creator God rescue his people? First, God will announce his coming through John the Baptist. Second, God will send Jesus to bless Israel and be her king. Praise God that he never forgets his promises and that he sent Jesus. Ask Jesus “to enable us to serve God without fear” and “to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Saturday: A Humble Birth (Luke 2:1-7)

Have you ever visited a cave? In olden days, people often built their houses around caves, and in Bethlehem the caves were the lower part of the houses where the animals were kept. Since there was no room with the other people at the inn, Mary and Joseph had to go down to where the animals were, and when the baby was born, they laid him in the trough where the animals ate their hay. This story shows us that God’s love doesn’t miss anybody! Jesus left the riches and glory of heaven and was born poor and humble. He came into the world as lowly as anyone ever could. Praise him for his love that stoops down so low that no one gets left out.

17


The Fourth Sunday in AdventDecember 20-24, 2009ReflectionAdvent is a coming, not our coming to God, but his to us. We cannot come to God, he is beyond our reach; but he can come to us, for we are not beneath his mercy. Even in another life, as St John sees it in his vision, we do not rise to God, but he descends to us, and dwells humanly among human creatures, in the glorious man, Jesus Christ. And that will be his last coming; so we shall be his people, and he everlastingly our God, our God-with-us, our Emmanuel. He will so come, but he is come already, he comes always: in our fellow-Christian (even in a child, says Christ), in his word, invisibly in our souls, more visibly in the sacrament. Opening ourselves to him, we call him in: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; O come, Emmanuel.

CollectPurify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

HymnsSilent Night

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright‘Round yon virgin mother and childholy infant so tender and mild,Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, Love’s pure lightRadiant, beams from Thy Holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

O Holy Night

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining,It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.Long lay the world in sin and error pining,Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!Oh night divine, Oh night when Christ was born;Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh night Divine.

Truly He taught us to love one another;His law is love and His gospel is peace.Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;And in His name all oppression shall cease.Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,Let all within us praise His holy name.Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,His power and glory evermore proclaim.His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Daily LectionarySunday, the Lord's Day, the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Morning: Psalms Is. 42:1-12 Evening: Psalms Eph. 6:10-20; John 3:16-21

MondayMorning: Psalms Is. 11:1-9Evening: Psalms Rev. 20:1-10; John 5:30-47

18


TuesdayMorning: Psalms Is. 11:10-16Evening: Psalms Rev. 20:11-21:8; Luke 1:5-25

WednesdayMorning: Psalms Is. 28:9-22Evening: Psalms Rev. 21:9-21; Luke 1:26-38

Thursday, Christmas EveMorning: Psalms Is. 59:15b-21Evening: Psalms Phil. 2:5-11


Sunday: Glory to God and Peace on Earth (Luke 2:8-20)

Imagine how surprised those shepherds must have been when an angel choir started shouting God’s praise during the night! What were they saying? That what God had done in sending Jesus was more wonderful than anyone could imagine - it was “glorious.” They praised him because he had set his favor (his love and blessings), upon sinful people who didn’t deserve it, and had sent a savior so that we might know his peace. What is peace? It is a wonderful biblical word that refers to the experience of life as it is supposed to be, humans in fellowship with God and blessed in their lives. The angels told the shepherds (and us) that Jesus is the only way to know peace. Did you know that angels still praise and glorify God in heaven? They do it day and night without ceasing. Why don’t you do it too!

Monday: The Light and the Glory (Luke 2:21-40)

Have you ever watched a presidential inauguration or the coronation of royalty on television? There is typically much pomp and circumstance to celebrate the dominion, majesty, and power of the new ruler. Luke’s Gospel presents Jesus as the true world ruler, the Lord, the Messiah, the savior, the real king over the world. Yet, Jesus’ kingdom is very different from that of the Caesars, presidents, and monarchs of our world. How? Simeon is waiting for God to comfort Israel. Anna is waiting for the redemption of Israel. Suffering for them is a daily way of life. But as Simeon’s words to Mary reveal, God’s appointed redeemer will deal with the suffering of Israel and the world by sharing it himself. He speaks dark words about opposition and a sword that will pierce Mary’s heart as well. This foreshadows what will happen when the kingdom of God confronts the kingdom of the world, particularly when the world’s true king is executed. Simeon is also quick to point out the truth at the heart of Hebrew Scripture: the upside-down kingdom brought by this baby is not for Israel only, but for the whole world. Praise God for Jesus – “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.” Ask God to let the light and glory of Jesus shine through your life to your friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

Tuesday: The Word Became Flesh (John 1:1-14)

“Once upon a time…” What was your favorite childhood story growing up? John begins his story this way, “In the beginning…” Does this remind you of another story in the Bible? The creator God is acting in a new way in his much-loved creation. The long story that began in Genesis is reaching the climax the creator had always intended. In Genesis 1, the climax is the creation of humans, made in God’s image. In John 1, the climax is the arrival of a human being, the Word become flesh. The Word is bringing into being the new creation, in which God says once more, “Let there be light and life!” And the Word is bringing about a new human family – children of God – that is spreading throughout the world. Thank God that you have been born again as a child of God; ask God to fill the dark world with his light, life, grace, truth, and glory.

Wednesday: God’s Final Word (Hebrews 1:1-5)

Grab a coin out of your pocket or find one lying about the house. What is printed there? What

19


images have been pressed in the metal? The author of Hebrews says that just as ancient emperor’s had their royal portraits and titles engraved on metal coins, the exact imprint of the Father’s very nature and glory has been precisely reproduced in the soft metal of the Son’s human nature. God had for a long time been sending advance sketches of himself to his people, but now he’s given us his exact portrait for all the world to see. The whole sweep of Biblical history points forward to Jesus, the one who has dealt with sins fully and finally, the one who now rules at God’s right hand, the one to whom even angels bow in submission. Praise God that we beheld the radiance of his glory!

Christmas Eve Morning: The Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15-20)

Have you ever had a parent, friend, or significant other tell you something you desperately needed to know? What was it about? In this poem, Paul is reminding the church that what they need to know above all, if they are to grow as Christians, increasing in wisdom, power, patience, and thanksgiving, is the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ. It is by looking at Jesus that we discover who God is; and the more we look at Jesus, the more we realize that the true God is the God of utter self-giving love. Moreover, Jesus holds together the old world and the world to come, creation and new creation; he is the firstborn of all creation, and the firstborn from the dead. Finally, Jesus is the blueprint for genuine humanness, the pattern for reconciliation and peacemaking. Ask God to make Jesus central and supreme in your life and the life of the world this Christmas.

Christmas Eve Evening: Becoming Like Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11)

What is your favorite song? Is it an old song, or a new one? What is your most cherished song in Sunday worship? In these verses Paul is reminding the church of what may be one of the first, if not the very first, hymns sung by the early Christians. Of course, it is a song about Jesus and a reminder that we need to be like him. Do you ever have a hard time putting the needs of others before your own? Are there people you would rather not have to love or put up with? Aren’t you glad Jesus isn’t like that? Praise Jesus that he loves sinners and came to seek and to save people who are lost. Ask God to help you follow Jesus and be a humble and loving servant just like he is.

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

20


The Twelve Days of Christmas December 25-January 5, 2009For it was for this end that the Word of God was made man,and He who was the Son of God became the Son of man,that man, having been taken into the Word, and receiving the adoption,might become the son of God.For by no other means could we have attained toincorruptibility and immortality,unless we had been united toincorruptibility and immortality.But how could we be joined toincorruptibility and immortality,unless, first,incorruptibility and immortalityhad become that which we also are,so that the corruptible might be swallowed up by incorruptibility,and the mortal by immortality,that we might receive the adoption of sons?- St. Irenaeus of Lyon (d. 202), Bishop of Lyon

You must understand why it is that the Word of the Father, so great and so high, has been manifest in bodily form… He has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men. We will begin, then, with the creation of the world and with God its Maker, for the first fact that you must grasp is this: the renewal of creation has been wrought by the self-same Word who made it in the beginning... He became what we are that he might make us what he is.- St. Athanasius (293-373), Bishop of Alexandria

The very Son of God, older than the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father: he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature, and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like. He takes to himself all that is human… He who makes rich is made poor; he takes on the poverty of my flesh, that I may gain the riches of his divinity. He who is full is made empty; he is emptied for a brief space of his glory, that I may share in his fullness… We need God to take our flesh and die, that we might live. We have died with him, that we may be purified. We have risen again with him, because we have died with him. We have been glorified with him, because we have risen again with him.- St. Gregory Nazianzus (330-389), Bishop of Constantinople

Man's maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother's breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witness, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die... The first coming of Christ the Lord, God's son and our God, was in obscurity; the second will be in the sight of the whole world. When he came in obscurity no one recognized him but his own servants; when he comes openly he will be known by both good people and bad. When he came in obscurity, it was to be judged; when he comes openly it will be to judge.- St. Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo

21


Reflections

Christmas Day

When Mary laid Jesus Christ upon her knees, when she searched him with her eyes, when she fed him at the breast, she did not study to love him because she ought, she loved him because he was dear: he was her Son. His conception had been supernatural, perplexing, affrighting; it had called for faith in the incomprehensible, and obedience beyond the limit of human power. His nativity was human and sweet, and the love with which she embraced it was a natural growth, inseparable from the thing she loved. She was blessed above all creatures, because she loved her Maker inevitably and by simple nature; even though it needed the sword—wounds of the Passion to teach her fully that it was her Maker whom she loved. The Son of Mary is the Son of all human kind; we embrace him with the love of our kind, that we may be led up with Mary to a love beyond kind, a selfless love for the supreme Goodness, when we too shall have climbed the ladder of the cross.

New Years Day

When a calendar year comes to an end, we feel cheated. Nothing in fact has been ended, nothing rounded off and finished. The year is not a piece of work completed and done; we cannot hold on to, or possess, what it has accomplished. We have learnt many things, but all our learning seems still to lie before us. We have enjoyed many things, but all our learning seems still to lie before us. We have enjoyed many things, but our happiness is yet to be earned. We have served God—how little—and we have still to find out what the service of God truly is, and who the God is whom we serve. Yet in every moment while time thus bafflingly slips from us, we are in the hands of him who is eternal and changes not. Our Christ, the Christ we offer up in the sacrament, the Christ on whom we feed, the Christ whose body we are, is eternal God as well as changeable man. Our grasp of eternity is small, but eternity grasps, fills and uses us. For we are the body of an eternal Christ.

Collects

Christmas Day

Almighty God, you have given your only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

First Sunday After Christmas

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Second Sunday After Christmas

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

22


HymnsO Come All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;Come and behold him born the King of angels

REFRAINO come let us adore him,O come let us adore him,O come, let adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Light;Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb:Son of the Father, begotten, not created; REFRAIN

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!Glory to God, all glory in the highest; REFRAIN

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly? REFRAIN

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;Jesus, to Thee be glory given;Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. REFRAIN

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!Let earth receive her King;Let every heart prepare Him room,And Heaven and nature sing,And Heaven and nature sing,And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!Let men their songs employ;While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plainsRepeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make His blessings flowFar as the curse is found,Far as the curse is found,Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,And makes the nations proveThe glories of His righteousness,And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love,And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain,over the hills and everywhere;go, tell it on the mountainthat Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watchingo’er silent flocks by night,behold through-out the heavensthere shone a holy light. REFRAIN

The shepherds feared and trembledwhen, lo! above the earthrang out the angel chorusthat hailed our Savior’s birth. REFRAIN

Down in a lowly mangerour humble Christ was born,and God sent us salvationthat blessed Christmas morn. REFRAIN

23


Daily LectionaryChristmas Day

Morning: Psalms Zech. 2:10-13Evening: Psalms 1 John 4:7-16; John 3:31-36

FridayMorning: Psalms Is. 29:13-24Evening: Psalms Rev. 21:22-22:5; Luke 1: 39-56

SaturdayMorning: Psalms Is. 33:17-22Evening: Psalms Rev. 22:6-11, 18-20; Luke 1:57-66

Sunday, the Lord's Day, the First Sunday After Christmas Morning: Psalms Is. 62:6-7, 10-12Evening: Psalms Heb. 2:10-18; Matt. 1:18-25

MondayMorning: Psalms Is. 35:1-10Evening: Psalms Rev. 22:12-17, 21; Luke 1:67-80

TuesdayMorning: Psalms Is. 12:1-6Evening: Psalms Rev. 1:1-8; John 7:37-52

WednesdayMorning: Psalms Is. 25:1-9Evening: Psalms Rev. 1:9-20; John 7:53-8:11

ThursdayMorning: Psalms Is. 26:1-9Evening: Psalms 2 Cor. 5:16-6:2; John 8:12-19

FridayMorning: Psalms Is. 65:15b-25Evening: Psalms Rev. 21:1-6; John 16:23b-30

SaturdayMorning: Psalms Gen 12:1-7Evening: Psalms Col. 2:6-12

Sunday, the Lord's Day, the Second Sunday After Christmas Morning: Psalms Gen. 17:1-12a, 15-16Evening: Psalms 1 John 2:12-17; John 6:41-47

MondayMorning: Psalms Gen. 28:10-22Evening: Psalms Heb. 11:13-22; John 10:7-17

TuesdayMorning: Psalms Gen. 28:10-22Evening: Psalms Heb. 11:13-22; John 10:7-17


On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A partridge in a pear tree is Jesus, the Son of God. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings" (Luke 13:34). Thank God for the gift of his only Son, and pray that your love for Jesus would increase.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in creation, Israel, and Jesus, telling the story of God’s redeeming love for the world.


Thank God for the gift of revealing himself and his plan of salvation in the Scriptures, and pray that God’s word would dwell in you richly.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Three French hens are the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Thank God for the gift of people in your life who have modeled these virtues, and pray that by his Spirit you would grow in faith, in hope, and in love.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Four calling birds are the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which proclaim the good news of God's reconciliation of the world to himself in Jesus Christ. Thank God for the gift of the Gospels, and pray that your life would vivified by the One revealed in the Gospels.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Five golden rings are the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, which gives the history of God’s glorious creation, humanity’s tragic sinful failure, and God's response of grace in the creation of Israel to be a light to the world. Thank God for the gift of being merciful, faithful, and patient with us and for giving us the Law to lead us to Christ, and pray that you might become a person “who meditates on God’s law day and night” (Psalm 1).

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Six geese a-laying are the six days of creation that demonstrate God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1). Thank God for the gift of his beauty, power, and wisdom revealed in nature, and pray that we may become better stewards of our resources, our environment, and our communities.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Seven swans a-swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11). Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and pray that he would guide you in exercising your spiritual gifts in the church.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5:3-10). Thank God for the gift of people in your life who have modeled the beatitudes, and pray that God would form your character in the likeness of Christ.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Nine ladies dancing are the nine-fold fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and pray that his presence would cause fruit to grow in your life and bless your relationships where you live, work, and play.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments: Do not have other gods before me; do not make an idol; do not take God's name in vain; remember the Sabbath Day; honor your father and mother;

25


do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not covet (Exodus 20:1-17). Thank God for the gift of this moral guide to life, and pray that his Spirit would empower you to embody it as you rely on the righteousness of Christ.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true gave sent to me...

Eleven pipers piping are the eleven faithful apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James bar Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders and the Romans. Thank God for the gift of the Church, “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20), and pray that you would grow in your love for the Church, for the apostle’s teaching, and for the apostolic ministry of proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

Twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed: “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” Thank God for the gift of these revelatory and revolutionary truths and those who made incredible sacrifices to pass the historic Christian faith on to us, and pray that your beliefs and behaviors would be in alignment with this creed, with the saints who have professed this creed, and with the One who is the object of this creed.

26


Documents

Advent Prayer Guide