Advent in a new light

By Betty Hertz

St. John Lay Leader

HOPE? PEACE? JOY? LOVE?

I hear those words during Advent as the candles are lit each Sunday. Sometimes my heart feels warm, but sometimes my heart feels heavy. December brings back memories of sad times and challenging times. I ask myself, “If you say you have faith, why are you feeling down? Jesus’ birth is about hope, peace, joy, and love.”

After I lift my judgmental thoughts, I am reminded: “God does not promise that we shall be spared suffering but does promise to be with us in our suffering.” (UMBOW p. 613). So I cry while feeling God’s loving arms around me. I find comfort in the words from the hymn Near to the Heart of God (UMH p.472):

There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God.

There is a place of full release, near to the heart of God.

“Quiet rest, comfort sweet, full release” … what more do I need?

 With these thoughts, I experience the four Advent candles in a new light. On my Advent wreath, the words are expressed this way:

           Share Hope

           Live in Peace

           Spread Joy

           Celebrate Love

Reflecting on this, I experience renewed faith, knowing God is always with me.

Dear Friends,

           I pray you find comfort in this verse from Romans 15:13:

May the God of hope fill you with such peace and joy in your faith

that you may be filled with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Advent Week 4 - Love

Supplies needed: Bible, lighter/matches, 5 candles (individual or part of an advent wreath/log)

Luke 1:57-66 NRSVUE

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed.  64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

 Light 4 candles

 Discussion: When did you last experience God’s love? Share the details.

Reflection: How have you been part of sharing God’s love with others? How have others been part of sharing God’s love with you? What can you do this week to be an agent of God’s love?

Awareness: This week, be on the lookout for opportunities to be an agent of God’s love, both in giving and receiving.

 Pray:

Purify 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 forever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, pg 212.

Advent Week 3 - Joy

Supplies needed: Bible, lighter/matches, 5 candles (individual or part of an advent wreath/log)

Luke 1:46-55 NRSVUE

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Light 3 candles (if you have a pink one, it is appropriate to light it today).

Discussion: When did you last rejoice or express joy? What caused it? Tell us the scene.

Reflection: When have you been most joy-filled? How have you shared that joy with others? What joy did others share with you?

Awareness: Joy is most alive when in the midst of community. Find opportunities to rejoice with others this week.

Pray:

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 forever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, pg 212.

Advent Week 2 - Peace

Supplies needed: Bible, lighter/matches, 5 candles (individual or part of an advent wreath/log)

Luke 1:39-45 NRSVUE

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

 Light 2 candles.

Discussion: When did you last experience peace? Describe it using your 5 senses.

Reflection: How do you experience peace? What brings it about? What disrupts it?

Awareness: True peace is found in the presence of God. Stay tuned to God’s presence this week and opportunities of peace.

Pray:

Merciful God, who 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.

Book of Common Prayer pg 211.

Advent Week 1 - Hope

Supplies needed: Bible, lighter/matches, 5 candles (individual or part of an advent wreath/log)

Luke 1:26-38 NRSVUE

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 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. 36 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. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 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.

 Light 1 candle.

Discussion: What brings you hope (especially this time of year)?

Reflection: How has hope affected your life? When has it been helpful? harmful?

Awareness: The hope of Christ is all around us. Pay attention to moments of hope this week as you live expectantly awaiting, like Mary and Elizabeth.

 Pray:

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 forever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, pg. 211.