Advent 3
1Th 5:16 Rejoice always;
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing;
1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit;
1Th 5:20 despise not prophesyings;
1Th 5:21 prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
1Th 5:22 abstain from every form of evil.
1Th 5:23 And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isa 61:2 He has sent me to proclaim That the time has come When the LORD will save his people And defeat their enemies. He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,
Isa 61:3 To give to those who mourn in Zion Joy and gladness instead of grief, A song of praise instead of sorrow. They will be like trees That the LORD himself has planted. They will all do what is right, And God will be praised for what he has done.
John, who in our Gospel is sent to proclaim the word made flesh who dwells among us was born no more than six months before his cousin Jesus.
Mary and Joseph had nine months to plan for this 'blessed event' and yet Mary went into labour on the road to Bethlehem a town already over-crowded with their fellow travelers.
We have but 25 days to ready ourselves to relive this event once more.
Psalm 126 describes the rapture experienced by people returned from captivity. It could just as well describe the joy experienced by parents at the birth of their first child. We experience a similar joy at the birth of our freedom from the guilt of sin and death and the epiphany of the Kingdom of God.
How should we prepare ourselves for the birth of love. Is there a better formula than that provided in our Epistle for today.
Isaiah is seen as prophesying this birth but whereas he saw an earthly messiah, the messiah of the new covenant rules in a spiritual realm that is eternal and independent of time and place. He made glad the heart of Moses and Isaiah and he is about to be born anew in our hearts and minds.
1Th 5:16 Rejoice always;
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing;
1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit;
1Th 5:20 despise not prophesyings;
1Th 5:21 prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
1Th 5:22 abstain from every form of evil.
1Th 5:23 And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isa 61:2 He has sent me to proclaim That the time has come When the LORD will save his people And defeat their enemies. He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,
Isa 61:3 To give to those who mourn in Zion Joy and gladness instead of grief, A song of praise instead of sorrow. They will be like trees That the LORD himself has planted. They will all do what is right, And God will be praised for what he has done.
John, who in our Gospel is sent to proclaim the word made flesh who dwells among us was born no more than six months before his cousin Jesus.
Mary and Joseph had nine months to plan for this 'blessed event' and yet Mary went into labour on the road to Bethlehem a town already over-crowded with their fellow travelers.
We have but 25 days to ready ourselves to relive this event once more.
Psalm 126 describes the rapture experienced by people returned from captivity. It could just as well describe the joy experienced by parents at the birth of their first child. We experience a similar joy at the birth of our freedom from the guilt of sin and death and the epiphany of the Kingdom of God.
How should we prepare ourselves for the birth of love. Is there a better formula than that provided in our Epistle for today.
Isaiah is seen as prophesying this birth but whereas he saw an earthly messiah, the messiah of the new covenant rules in a spiritual realm that is eternal and independent of time and place. He made glad the heart of Moses and Isaiah and he is about to be born anew in our hearts and minds.
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