Advent Meditations: Thursday 5 December
| THU Dec 5 |
am: 18:1-20 pm: 18:21-50 |
Isa 2:12-22 | 1 Thes 3:1-13 | Luke 20:27-40 |
LITURGICAL THEME: ST SABBAS THE SANCTIFIED, Monastic and Church Counselor, 533
From the calendar of the Eastern Church, we have St. Sabbas who entered the vocation of the monastic life from childhood and was under that master of monastics, Euthymius, the Great, the teacher of the desert. He became the spiritual Father of many monks and an instructor for the monasteries in Palestine and was appointed leader (archimandrite) of the desert-dwellers of Palestine by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In his old age, he went to Constantinople, to the Emperors Anastasius and Saint Justinian the Great, on behalf of the Orthodox Faith and the dogmas of the Council of Chalcedon. Having lived ninety-four years, he reposed in 533.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION–. Isaiah who was a firebrand in his own right delivers a powerful message in today’s Old Testament lesson about the “Day of the Lord,” a time of divine judgment where God will bring down the pride of humanity and exalt himself alone, harshly condemning those who trust in worldly power and idols rather than in God; it serves as a warning to turn away from arrogance and fully rely on God’s authority, recognizing that human power is fleeting and ultimately meaningless compared to the majesty of the Almighty. In an age of self-importance and self-promotion, Isaiah is stating that there is a day in the calendar of God’s appointment book, where pride will be dealt with in human nature, and God will be exalted in His actions. So, while a difficult set of readings to hear it is one that we in the West certainly need to hear.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Lord, Your Word says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding” (Psalm 111:10 NIV). Help me to trust in You and follow Your precepts in every twist and turn of this season. Grant me a good understanding and guide my steps. Amen.
Activity/Spiritual Discipline – Take the opportunity to reach out to a person close to you who lives unaware that he will face a day of judgment and offer your reflections on this text in your life.
SONG OF THE DAY There Will Be A Day by Jeremy Camp. Go To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPKyTY71iRM
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