Advent Meditations: Thursday 23 December

Dec 23, 2020 by Jill

ON THE CALENDAR – Wed of Advent IV  –O Antiphon- O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of the nations and their  Savior.  Come and save us, O Lord our God.

The Martyrs of Crete, 250 (Eastern Orthodox Calendar). These Martyrs were ten Christian men from Crete who suffered martyrdom during the persecutions of emperor Decius during the third century. At their trial they steadfastly confessed their faith in Christ and refused to worship the emperor and other idols. The men were then imprisoned and tortured for one month. But the torture did not change their opinions, and they continued to glorifying God. They were sentenced by the governor of Crete to be beheaded. Before their death they prayed that the Lord would enlighten their torturers with the light of the true Faith. Their executions took place in Alonion, a part of Gortyn now known to have been the main amphitheater of Gortyn.

MEDITATION: With this last antiphon our expectation finds joy now in the certainty of fulfillment.  We call Jesus by one of the most personal and intimate of his titles, Emmanuel, God-with-us.  While at the same time he is also to be exalted above us as our king, However, the pressure is on and the time is running short and the idea of serving a king and cooking the Christmas feast are not balancing out. The lessons today of sorts reinforce that message but not in the manner that the consumer culture may suggest.

The readings do not have the frantic call or last-minute door buster sales. The lesson from Isaiah  speaks of the ominous consequences of not being prepared in our spirits. We live in a world of ominous consequences when we fail to prepare appropriately for the CIVID 19 virus. What would be the magnitude of consequences if we were to fail to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

PRAYER: Lord, help me in these final days not to dwell on my own wishes and

expectations but on your will and the embracing of a holy expectation. Please show to

me the countless opportunities to submit to your will that come my way each day and

give me grace to live into that holy vocation. Give me the humility I need and help me

to remember that humbleness and the simple joy of your birth is what these coming

days are about. Guide me in rejoicing in and with the people you give to me as gifts,

now and always.

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE /ACTIVITY – Mindful of the Martyrs who gave their life leading up to the days of Christmas consider today to strengthen the Persecuted Church by supporting Underground Pastors because the foundation of the persecuted Church is the local pastor. Support these brothers as they go into new areas and build the church.

ANCIENT WORDS/PRESENT GRACE: “The greatest honor God can do a soul is not to give it much, but to ask much of it.” — St. Therese of Lisieux

See also: Advent Devotion 18 – being prepared, from GAFCON

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