Advent Meditations: Friday 22 December
| Fri Dec 22 |
am: 46, 54 pm: 51 |
Zech 7:8-8:8 | Rev 5:6-14 | Matt 25:14-30 |
Friday Advent III
Notes on the Liturgical Feast for Today : – An Ember Day The O Antiphon: O King of the Nations –-O Antiphon’s of the Day
LATIN :O Rex gentium et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum,: veni et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti).
ENGLISH :O Come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and by thyself our Prince of Peace.)
We are reminded in this Antiphon, Christ himself is one whom people and nations will seek as he and his word will go out to the ends of the earth despite it starts in an obscure village in an unnoticed part of the world at that time. A people come, from east and from west, and take their place as the wise men and shepherds did. No matter what our station or where we come from the angels trumpet call goes out this year anew to bring us again into Christ’s kingdom
Biblical Meditation : In today’s Psalm from the Common Worship Lectionary, we hear again Psalm 46. In this season when we recall again the vision of Peace On Earth and Good Will towards all, it is difficult to miss that Psalm 46 insists that the God of peace is, about the work of peace. We won’t be learning of it from the UN or the New York and London Times, No we will have to be seekers of the “the works of God” if we want to witness God’s action. Psalm 46 calls us to learn how to be peace makers and to see the finger of God in the work for peace and justice. “The God of peace is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress,” Psalm 46 begins. Even if the earth shakes, the mountains quake, the waters rage, the mountains totter, the nations rage and empires fall — the God of peace is with us, so we do not have to be afraid. That’s a mighty promise, the question is how do we participate in it?
PRAYER May your grace, almighty God, always go before us and follow,
so that we, who await with heartfelt desire the coming of your Only Begotten Son,
may receive your help both now and in the life to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Spiritual Discipline /Activity – Ember days are three days set apart for fasting, abstinence, and prayer during each of the four seasons of the year. They were occasioned by the agricultural feasts of ancient Rome; they came to be observed by Christians for the sanctification of the different seasons of the year, and for obtaining God’s blessing on the clergy to be ordained during the Embertides. Today would be good day to observe a simple or solemn fast, identifying with the hungry and needy and using that time to pray for those who will be doing the work of the church in ordained ministry.
Ancient Words/Present Grace: Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the soul; we may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, if our will remains firm and submissive. Peace in this life springs from acquiescence to, not in an exemption from, suffering. – Francois Fenelon, 17th century French Roman Catholic theologian
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