God’s blessings to you on the fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Joy and Mary’s Sunday. Today drew our Advent journey towards its close which will happen tomorrow evening on Christmas Eve. It was a wonderful day of celebration: worship, family and friends, preparing our sanctuary for tomorrow’s festive Eucharist, and recognition of those who serve our Parish, especially Roger our Minister of music and Roosevelt our Sexton; offering them token of our appreciation at this wonder-filled time of the year. We are definitely blessed.

In worship today, we were overwhelmed with Mary’s Song (the Magnificat) – it appeared in three instances in worship, twice in scripture readings and once in the Advent Wreath liturgy. Mary and Elizabeth were coupled with stories from Micah and the letter to the Hebrews – the old way isn’t what saves us; the new relationship with God in Christ is what brings salvation. The hard thing for many of us is the absurdity of that statement: our Savior was born of a virgin and announced by a prophet who was the miraculous offspring of a barren woman. Yet God really is present in those stories and in our story today – if we can only listen.

I invite your comments today and as Christmas comes on us,
Les+

Readings: Micah 5:2-5a; Canticle 15; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-55

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