Ember Saturday in Advent

 

Is 7:10-14   Ps 24   Lk 1:26-38

The Gospel of Luke today brings us the story of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary with the news that she will bear a son. This moment is when the prophecy from  Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled: The Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 
 
This name is so important, as it means God with us. What does it mean for God to be with us? It’s different from reigning over us. Instead of staying above us, our Lord joined us and spent time as a human being, starting out just as we all do, as an infant growing in his mother’s womb. He has brought himself fully into our world, but there is still a part for us to play. 
 
Psalm 24 says: Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Just like Mary, we must be open to receiving a sign from the Lord. He wants to come in and be with us as we go about our daily lives.

A couple of Sundays ago, when we lit the candles on our Advent wreath at supper time, one of the flames grew very tall and bright. We were all taken by surprise and stared at it for a few moments. It was as if God really was with us, like we had our own sign flickering right in front of us. 
 
This Advent, our family has been listening to Advent messages together each morning. We have tried our best to open each day with open hearts to all that God wants us to learn and understand this Advent season. When we are open, it truly does feel that He is with us, even in the flickering of a candle.
 
Mark 


O Come All Ye Faithful   John F. Wade
Nathan Drake 

 

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