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Consider the Word, December 17, 2020

Consider the Word, December 17, 2020
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92395423097
Meeting ID: 923 9542 3097
 
Printable Version
 
Readings for December 13 – Advent IV

• 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
• Canticle 18 (Luke 1:47-55) Or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
• Romans 16:25-27
• Luke 1:26-38

Collect

Heavenly Father,

who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace,

to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour,

now fill us with your grace,

that we in all things may embrace your will

and with her rejoice in your salvation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
Reading: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 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." Then the angel departed from her.

 
Reflection Questions

1. What does it mean to find “favor with God”? What would it mean for us to find favor with God?
2. What does it mean for you that the Lord is with you? What should it mean?

 
Closing Prayer

Merciful God of peace,

your work, spoken by the prophets,

restores your people's life and hope.

Fill our hearts with the joy of your saving grace,

that we may hold fast to your great goodness

and in our lives proclaim your justice in all the world. Amen.

 
The Message:

A Virgin Conceives

^26-28 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

Good morning!

You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,

Beautiful inside and out!

God be with you.

^29-33 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,

    be called ‘Son of the Highest.’

The Lord God will give him

    the throne of his father David;

He will rule Jacob’s house forever—

    no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

³⁵ The angel answered,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

    the power of the Highest hover over you;

Therefore, the child you bring to birth

    will be called Holy, Son of God.

^36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

And Mary said,

Yes, I see it all now:

    I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.

Let it be with me

    just as you say.

Then the angel left her.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
 

Consider the Word, December 10, 2020

Consider the Word, December 10, 2020
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92395423097
Meeting ID: 923 9542 3097
 
Printable Version
 
Readings for December 13 – Advent III

• Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
• Psalm 126 Or Canticle 18 (Luke 1:47-55)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
• John 1:6-8, 19-28

 
Collect

God of power and mercy,

you call us once again

to celebrate the coming of your Son.

Remove those things which hinder love of you,

that when he comes,

he may find us waiting in awe and wonder

for him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
Reading: John 1:6-8, 19-28

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

 
Reflection Questions

1. Where is our anchor and security, which will lead us to find comfort and strength and peace and joy?
2. Can we expand our understanding of God’s mission, to light up the whole world in every corner?

 
Closing Prayer

Incline your ear, O God, to our pleading, and by the grace of your coming to us and enlighten the darkness of these times, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who is alive with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
The Message:

^6-8 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

Thunder in the Desert

^19-20 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?”

“I am not.”

“The Prophet?”

“No.”

²² Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.”

²³ “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.”

^24-25 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. Now they had a question of their own: “If you’re neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”

^26-27 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst. He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I’m not even worthy to hold his coat for him.”

²⁸ These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson