Third Sunday in Advent, December 14, 2014

Prayer for the Lighting of the Advent Candles

Holy are you, God of the brokenhearted and oppressed; you promised to send your chosen one who gives a garland instead of ashes to those who mourn; who brings down the powerful and lifts the lowly. As we light these candles, open our lips to testify to the true light coming into the world, who enlightens everyone. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the desert.

Response: Reveal your truth to us, and fill our mouths with shouts of joy that declare the great things you have done for us. Amen.

Collect for the Day

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 for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

For I the LORD love justice,

I hate robbery and wrongdoing;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their descendants shall be known among the nations,

and their offspring among the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge

that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

my whole being shall exult in my God;

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

to spring up before all the nations.

 

Reflections: You will recognize the first seven lines as the text Jesus reads in the synagogue  in Luke 4:18, after which he announces, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” The response to Jesus’ proclamation is not what a gospel reader would expect. It’s easy to criticize those gathered around Jesus in the synagogue, but how would we have reacted? It’s human to reject whatever confounds our expectations.

As we see from the full passage, God’s appearance is two-edged: mercy and judgment. On the one hand, the text elevates those who know their need of salvation; for them, God’s coming is salvation. On the other hand, Isaiah says, “I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing,” echoing the shocking and eloquent message of the prophet Amos:

Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! . . .
    Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light . . .
I hate, I despise your festivals,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. . . .
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them . . .
But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Inasmuch as our hearts are closed (and to some extent they are—in ways we cannot recognize), salvation involves judgment, which ultimately can lead us to repentance, the capacity to receive divine mercy and peace.

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13  In convertendo

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, * "The LORD has done great things for them."

The LORD has done great things for us, * and we are glad indeed.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, * like the watercourses of the Negev.

Those who sowed with tears * will reap with songs of joy.

Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, * will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

 

Reflections: Blessed are those who “sowed with tears,” for they “will reap with songs of joy.” These lines are taken up in the first movement of Brahm’s (German) Requiem. Here is a link to a performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIw2DUM-3kU, and here a link to the text: http://www.kellydeanhansen.com/opus45.html. I cannot hear or read this scripture without thinking of it.

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Reflections: St. Paul focuses our attention, not on the ups and downs of our experience, but on the One at the heart of our being. Rooted and grounded in Christ, we are able to rejoice in, and even despite, our circumstances—for in every aspect of our lives God is with us.

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"     

  John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Reflections: We all want to pigeonhole. The religious leaders of his day wanted to know how to understand John. But the prophet, like Jesus after him, didn’t answer the questions; what words or concepts would have been adequate? Both John and Jesus deflected attention from themselves to the prophetic tradition, and to its Ultimate Referent. For John, that was Jesus; for Jesus, it was the Father.

        Who are we? How would we answer that question?