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Saturday, December 21, 2024

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Zeph 3:14-18a;  Ps 33:1-5, 20-22;  Lk 1:39-45;  Rev 21:9-21 Rejoice in the Lord’s Faithful Presence The Advent season is a time of anticipation and preparation, a moment to reflect on the nearness of God and the fulfillment of His   promises. Today’s readings invite us to rejoice in the enduring faithfulness of God, who comes to dwell among His people with love, joy,   and transformative power. Rejoice, O Daughter of Zion! (Zephaniah 3:14-18a) Zephaniah’s call to sing and shout for joy reminds us that God’s presence among His people is cause for celebration. Despite the   challenges of life, the assurance that “ the Lord your God is in your midst ” brings hope. Advent reminds us that God’s love is not distant;   it is active and present. Even in the deepest and darkest corners of our lives, where we feel alone and fearful, He is there. These promises   of restoration and the removal of fear are central to the joy of the season. Are we ready to ope...
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Friday, December 20, 2024

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Is 7:10-14; Ps 24; Rev 20:11—21:8; Lk 1:26-38   Psalm 24  Gates and doors: things that you may come across a lot throughout life. Yet we should embrace them, for you never know   what may lurk behind. Like a cactus. It may look harmful on the outside and like more of an obstacle than a treasure, but   look inside look just beyond and you will see things you never thought you could have. Look just beyond and you will see   great beauty greater than anything imaginable. So when the verse states to fling wide the gates and to open the ancient   doors, what I have taken from this is that these gates and doors are actually your heart and your soul. Now think about this   when I word it like this:   “Fling open your heart. Open your soul and the Great King will come in” Who is this Great King? Why, he is Jesus, the saviour of all peoples. Yes the lord is the great king who comes to save us.   And we should let him. So when it says to open the gate...
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Thursday, December 19, 2024

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  Jg 13:2-7, 24-25      Ps 71:1-8       Rev 20:1-10      Lk 1:5-25 Does anyone else ever feel like getting to  Christmas is like trying to make it through a marathon you didn’t train for?   You’ve   made it through the first half of the year and maybe had some rest   during the summer, but now you’ve slogged your way   through September, October,   and November, just trying to keep up. You finally get to December and you add   all the kids’   concerts, work deadlines, Christmas parties, gift buying, holiday   organizing…. The list goes on and on and on top of it   you’ve probably been sick   at least once, and then the church has the audacity to ask us to just… wait.   Who’s got the time to   wait? There’s 48 things still on my to-do list, and   really, we already know what we’re waiting for… right? But what if what we are waiting for isn’t just for   Jesus to sho...
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Wednesday, December 18, 2024

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  Jer 23:5-8;  Ps 72:11-19;  Eph 6:10-20;  Mt 1:18-25 Many Christian churches around the world put on a Christmas pageant in December. The usual characters are all  there: Mary, the Angel, baby Jesus, the Innkeeper, the Shepherds, the Kings…and, oh yes, Joseph. Often Mary is   portrayed as holy, the blessed mother of God. Sometimes Joseph is just the guy leading the donkey. He doesn’t   have any lines and stands in the back.   In today’s reading from Matthew, we learn a bit more about Joseph and how important he is to Jesus’s arrival on   Earth.   Joseph’s life changed in one conversation; his life changed because he was told by his future wife that she was   pregnant. He thought that he couldn’t be associated with her, but he decided to do the honourable thing and   divorce her. Even though it was a difficult decision, an angel told him to marry her because she was carrying the   Saviour of humanity.   Even though Jo...
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