We only have a couple days left until Christmas Day. Our Advent Wreath Mandala is almost complete. In these last three days we look at how the truth that “God is Love” is lived in our lives and fulfilled in the birth of a Child in a Manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. On Monday you could add a symbol of Mary, like a lily, to the Advent Mandala wreath, and remember to add a white candle for Christmas Eve.
We have already looked at the Hope that is the hallmark of the season, and the Prophecies that were fulfilled at Christmas. We have found symbols from the Jesse Tree or our own imaginations that represent the Hope, Prophetic words, and Joy of Advent. What image might you use to celebrate the coming of God’s Love at Christmas?
How can we prepare that home for our God? The Old Testament lesson from Isaiah contains the prophecy so boldly sung in Handel’s Messiah, and other musical offerings. “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” The entire citation includes a challenge to King Ahaz from God, and God’s response when Ahaz demurs.
“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.” (Isaiah 7:10-16)
How often do we, also, refrain from testing God’s words? Maybe we don’t really want to trust God, or we think the answer may ask us to do something we don’t want to do. Yet, our God is faithful and responds even when we hesitate. In the Isaiah reading, God promises that the threat from ‘the two kings you are in dread [of]’ will be erased.
The Psalm continues the recitation of God’s actions, even when we think God is absent. The Psalmist asks that God will “stir up your strength and come to help us… show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved……so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your Name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts…” (Psalm: 80:1-7, 16-18)
The Epistle is the opening salutation of Paul’s letter to the Romans, in which he recites the basics of Gospel, and the inclusion of even the Gentiles in God’s work and love. “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ…[for the Gospel] concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:1-7)
In the Gospel we hear of Joseph’s response to Mary’s pregnancy, and God’s assurance to him. The angel speaks to Joseph and reminds him of the Isaiah prophecy. “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit….an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph…the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’…to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet…Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him…” (Matthew 1:18-25)
Throughout this week and after all the ribbons and wrapping have been put away, find some time to consider God’s ultimate expression of Love in the Babe in a manger, and in the One who will come to “find in us a mansion prepared for himself.” What can you do to prepare a place for Jesus? How can you experience and share God’s Love to yourself and to others? Perhaps you will want to take time to consider these words from Fr. Richard Rohr.
“When we speak of Advent or preparing for Christmas, we’re not talking about waiting for a little baby to be born. We’re in fact welcoming the universal, cosmic Christ—the Christ that is forever being born in the human soul and history. In Franciscan spirituality:
Creation is the first and probably final Bible, Incarnation is already Redemption, Christmas is already Easter, and Jesus is already Christ.”
What inspiration does Christmas give you in the dark times of life?
I will be posting a final picture of my evolving wreath on Facebook as we add a lily for Mary. Then we light white candles and welcome the birth of our Lord on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
May your Christmas be full of Hope, Joy, Light, Love, and Peace! See you in 2020 when we enter Epiphany.
