4th Sunday of Advent

Last Sunday before Christmas

“The true light that gives light to every

man was coming into the world.”

John 1 v 9 

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

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 father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever,

and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered 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 called holy – the Son of God... For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1: 30 – 35

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

Luke 1: 41 – 44

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Mary

On the last Sunday before Christmas, we contemplate the role the young

virgin Mary played in the coming of Christ into the world...

When the Angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her she had been chosen

by God to bear his Son, her life was turned upside-down.

  She could have said “What are you doing God?

Haven't you heard all the plans I've been making?

Joseph and I have just got engaged, and we're going to

settle down to a lovely life together.

Haven't you been listening?

And why me, God? And why before I'm even married?

Don't you realise what this will do to my reputation? I'll be ruined.

And what about Joseph? Have you asked him?

What if he won't marry me now?”

What if, what if, what if...

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;

let it be to me according to your word.”

The world needed salvation.

We remember the coming of that salvation at Christmas,

through the Word become flesh, born of the Virgin Mary.

Every day the world needs to know that afresh; we can be channels

through which Jesus can touch the world.

Mary said Yes. What will you say?

Collect For the Day

O Lord, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us,

and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness,

we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us,

thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us;

through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord,

to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be

honour and glory, world without end.

Amen

Activity

Sing "Maria Walks Amid the Thorns"
(You can listen to a recording of me singing this traditional German
Advent carol using the little 'widget' in the column on the right) 

Photo: The Annunciation, by Henry Ossawa Tanner, from wikipedia