December 21, 2010 Praying the Advent Season

Candle Lighting: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Prayer:
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
Free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
That eagerly we may receive your promises.

Today’s reading is from Luke 1: 39-45

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

We can feel the powerful emotions expressed in today’s readings – young love, shouting for joy, exulting, leaping for joy. Elizabeth and Zechariah have waited so long to be blessed with a child, and light up the world of all they encounter with their joy of parenthood. And we can certainly share Elizabeth’s excitement:” Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
We have these feelings of belief in the story and of the outcome. But there are also times when we are shameful in our unbelief. Oh that we could maintain the high we feel when like Elizabeth and Mary, we can truly believe with all our heart in the wonder of God and his Son Jesus the Christ!
We do believe that Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world by taking on the human condition. That he was born to a human mother. And we feel great joy this time of year as we anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus on Friday. What does this birth say about the love God must have for each one of us…that He would send His Son to live this life of ours? How can we doubt God’s love once we understand this priceless gift?

My prayer today is for the grace to look beyond the pleasant distractions of this season of celebration, however wonderful they are, so we can all feel the true joy of knowing that Jesus has come into the world for us. That God did come to earth to show us how to live and that thru the Holy Spirit we can be filled to overflowing with love for our fellow man.

Called as God's people;
Equipped by the Holy Spirit;
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people


Thanks to: The Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, ELCA and http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112810.html