Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God’s Presence (UCPH). Thanks this week to Jenny, Cor, and Heather!

PRELUDE: “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella” (French Traditional)

OPENING PRAYER

Blessed are you, O Christ child,
that your cradle was so low that shepherds,
poorest and simplest of earthly people,
could yet kneel beside you,
and look, level-eyed, into the face of God.
Blessed One, we come to you in reverence.
Amen.
(Prayer from Uganda)

HYMN OF PRAISE: “O come, all ye faithful”

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem:
come and behold him, born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, light of light,
lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
very God, begotten, not created: R

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest: R

See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps; R

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: R

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Briefly overwhelmed by the Christ-light,
we return to the world from which we came:
a world of pain, a world of promise;
the world which God so loved
that the Bethlehem baby was born.
Fearful, may we listen to the voice of the angel who says, “Fear not.”
Forgetful, may we cling to the Good News of God,
and fully human, may we walk with the one
who is both human and divine.
Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God will give us what we need:
strength for today,
hope for tomorrow,
and forgiveness
for all that is past.
Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC: “The Magi Song” (Osther)

FIRST READING: Psalm 146

Praise God, O my soul. As long as I live I will praise God.
Yes, as long as I have life I will sing praises to God.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in any mortal,
for in them there is no help.
When they breathe their last they return to dust;
then their plans come to nothing.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
the One who keeps faith for ever,
who gives justice to the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.

God sets prisoners free, restores sight to the blind.
God straightens those who are bent;
loves those who are just.
God cares for the stranger in the land,
and sustains the widow and orphan;
but the way of the wicked God turns to ruin.
God shall reign forever, O Zion,
your God for all generations.

SECOND READING: Isaiah 62.6-12

6 O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray to the LORD day and night for the fulfillment of his promises. Take no rest, all you who pray. 7 Give the LORD no rest until he makes Jerusalem the object of praise throughout the earth. 8 The LORD has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength: “I will never again hand you over to your enemies. Never again will foreign warriors come and take away your grain and wine. 9 You raised it, and you will keep it, praising the LORD. Within the courtyards of the Temple, you yourselves will drink the wine that you have pressed.”
10 Go out! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see. 11 The LORD has sent this message to every land: “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your Saviour is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'” 12 They will be called the Holy People and the People Redeemed by the LORD. And Jerusalem will be known as the Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken.

HYMN: “Angels we have heard on high”

Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song? R

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. R

See him in a manger laid,
whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while our hearts in love we raise. R

REFLECTION

The greatest privilege of my job is hearing stories. Personal anecdotes, treasured stories, even the occasional tall-tale: they reveal both the teller and life in the city. Three examples:

Alex, whose father built houses in the 1930’s, and the day that a gentleman bought one of them, in cash, in three one-thousand dollar bills. His best guess was that the house was being bought for the mistress of a bootlegger.

Jack, who worked at the TTC maintenance yard, and participated in endless speculation about how fast a streetcar could really go. One evening, while crossing the Bloor Viaduct, a driver answered the question when he reached 70 mph before reaching the Danforth side only to be met by a cop. Needless to say, it was his last trip.

Rose, who worked for 42 years at the pen counter at Eaton’s. While some might wonder how fulfilling her work selling fountain pens was, she would remind them that she was one a first name basis with most of Toronto’s business elite. She was sent to Montreal on at least one occasion to tour the Waterman factory, and also conducted a clandestine friendship with the “pen girl” at Simpson’s across the street in the day when Eaton’s employees were not allowed to fraternize with the enemy.

Hearing the stories, listening to the intonation of the teller, one cannot help but be drawn into an abiding sense of innocence. Certainly stories of bootleggers and speeding streetcars and outhouses being tipped over on Halloween have some edge to them (that’s why they are great stories) but the underlying tenor of the stories is a kind of sweetness that belongs to a different age.

And these stories make you wonder about 2020. What kind of stories will we tell? How will we explain the pandemic in 20 years, or 40 years? And what kind of frame will be put around these stories, both in terms of lessons learned and the long-term result of a global crisis? Obviously time will tell, since it seems we are still very-much in the centre of the storm. Yet even as the storm breaks, and 2020 is assigned to the past, we can begin to look for perspective. And when we look for perspective, it’s always best to begin in the Bible. Hear the prophet Isaish speak:

Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray to the LORD day and night for the fulfillment of his promises. Take no rest, all you who pray. Give the LORD no rest until he makes Jerusalem the object of praise throughout the earth.

The exile has ended and the Israelites have returned to a city they can hardly recognize. The object of their desire, the city they heard described in story and verse is no longer there. So the civic leaders struggle to recreate a community amid the ruins and begin in a most disarming way: they post watchmen atop the city walls to pray aloud and remind God to fulfil his promises to the city and those now returned from exile. The effect is electrifying, and the voice of the prophet animates God’s response with these words:

Go out! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see. The LORD has sent this message to every land: “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your Saviour is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’” They will be called the Holy People and the People Redeemed by the LORD. And Jerusalem will be known as the Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken.

This is a reading for the time after Christmas precisely because this is what incarnation does: a Saviour is coming—look he is already here—and he will bring the reward longed for in a people redeemed and a city with two new names: The Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken. He will bring hope.

It was William Countryman who said “hearing the good news is the beginning. The rest of our life forms our response.” To understand that God has entered our world once more through a tender babe means that God will help us transform the ruined places and create The Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken.

And so we look forward to 2021 and the changes to come. A city inoculated against the pandemic, along with people everywhere. An economic recovery based on helping the greatest number of people. Food banks and drop-ins for people in emergency situations, and not a way to solve problems that our governments seem incapable of solving. And a new look at racial justice, hoping that when people remember 2020 it will be for the year Black Lives Matters entered our common consciousness—and not just the pandemic.

The only positive thing about returning to a destroyed city was that the Israelites, for the very first time, were equal. They were having a common experience, an experience that led them to imagine new ways of forming and maintaining their society, new ways of seeing each other. Exile and return became a new beginning, where compassion happened more readily. This was then translated into the birth of hope found in Jesus, and the grown-up teachings we read throughout the year. In many ways the message is the same: understand Jesus and you will see God. Love him and follow in his way. See him in others, and remember that he walks with us still. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

God, whose glory the heavens are telling,
we praise you for light leaping across northern skies
and for the joys of blade upon ice, ski upon snow,
fire in the hearth, and friends for celebration,
in whatever way we meet.

Help us linger in Bethlehem a while longer,
with wonder, stillness, and longing.
Help us feel you abiding presence,
God-with-us, Emmanuel.

We pray for the peace of the world, O God,
and for the peace that only you can give—
not only the absence of conflict and battle,
but also the fullness of life that is prosperity for all,
goodwill among neighbours, and welcome for every outsider.

Hear us now as we name the situations and nations
for which we seek your peace:
our own country, Canada, weathering the storms
of pandemic, inequality, and uncertainty.
We pray for troubled places, where war and injustice
do not cease, even in the midst of COVID-19.
We pray for our families, our friends, ourselves:
keep us together even as we are apart,
bind us one to another, and expand our circle,
even as we keep distant.

We gather these and all our prayers,
those spoken aloud and those too deep for words,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “Go, tell it on the mountain”

Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. R

The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Saviour’s birth! R

Down in a lonely manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent our salvation
that blessed Christmas morn. R

BLESSING

God has caused light to shine in our hearts,
the light which is knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.
—2 Corinthians 4:6

O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind;
O bid our sad divisions cease,
and be for us the Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas! Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God’s Presence (UCPH). Thanks tonight to Bunny, Beth, Amanda, Cor, Jenny, Taye, Dave, and Heather!

PRELUDE: “Coventry Carol” (English Traditional)

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness shall never overcome it.
Perfect light escapes the stable,
surrounding us with love’s pure light.
Source of ALL THAT IS, shine on us tonight,
that we may worship the Light of the World.
Amen.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind;
O bid our sad divisions cease,
and be for us the Prince of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

OPENING PRAYER

Come, all of you who wander weary in this world—
join your hearts and minds,
and listen to an ancient story.
Come, all of you who search for meaning,
all of you who yearn for love.
Come, all of you who search for hope,
all of you who seek shelter from the storm.
Come, all of you, rejoice,
for in our midst has come the Promised One of old.
For on this night is born in hope
the festive dream come true,
the one who breaks the chains
of our sorrows and our fears.
The breath of God, the smile of joy,
the face of one we only dreamed we’d see.
In Bethlehem is born the one who is for all.
Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE: “Joy to the world!”

Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns:
let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground:
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the earth with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of sultry stable air,
God of frosty wind and snow,
we come to you this wintry day,
yearning to be swaddled
against the raw chill of separation,
loneliness, lovelessness.
Thaw within us whatever keeps us
from echoing the angels’ praise.
Warm our moaning
with the shine of your glory,
as you fill the empty stable in our hearts
with your outpouring of home and love.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Light of nations, veiled in history,
born of woman’s flesh and blood,
calling to the depths of mystery
restless hearts that seek the good.
Healing every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.

FIRST READING: Galatians 4.4-7

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

SPECIAL MUSIC: “What Child Is This”

SECOND READING: Psalm 96

Sing to God a new song;
sing your praise, all the earth.
Sing and bless God’s holy name,
tell the glad news of salvation from day to day.
Declare God’s glory among the nations,
among all the peoples God’s wonderful works.
For great is God and greatly to be praised,
to be revered above all the gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but you, O God, made the heavens.
Honour and majesty attend you,
strength and beauty are in your sanctuary.

Ascribe to God, you families of peoples,
ascribe to God glory and strength.
Ascribe glory to God’s name,
bring an offering and enter God’s courts.
Worship God in the beauty of holiness,
and let the whole earth stand in awe.
Say among the nations: It is God who reigns!
The world is made firm and cannot be shaken.
God judges the peoples in equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
Then let all the trees of the forest sing for joy,
for you come, O God, to judge the earth.
You shall judge the earth in righteousness,
its peoples with your truth.

THIRD READING: Matthew 1.18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

HYMN: “Twas in the moon of wintertime”

‘Twas in the moon of wintertime,
when all the birds had fled,
that mighty Gitchi Manitou
sent angel choirs instead;
before their light the stars grew dim,
and wandering hunters heard the hymn:
Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born,
in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark
the tender babe was found,
a ragged robe of rabbit skin
enwrapped his beauty round;
but as the hunter braves drew nigh,
the angel song rang loud and high: R

The earliest moon of wintertime
is not so round and fair
as was the ring of glory on
the helpless infant there.
The chiefs from far before him knelt
with gifts of fox and beaver pelt. R

O children of the forest free,
the angel song is true,
the holy child of earth and heaven
is born today for you.
Come, kneel before the radiant boy,
who brings you beauty, peace, and joy: R

REFLECTION

Do you wish you could wake up to discover that 2020 was just a bad dream?

It worked for Pam and Bobby. An entire season suddenly became moot, the ultimate TV do-over. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you need to find someone over 50—quick. And not to outdone, the show Newhart ended the series with Bob and Emily discussing the strange dream Bob just had—in this case, he dreamt an entire series. Again, over 50, you know the drill.

Dreams are strange things. Freud said that dreams constitute “wish fulfillment,” which is a fancy way of saying you wish you could work out the vexing thing that’s troubling you. I dropped first-year psychology, so I can’t really say if Freud’s right. If you’re like me, however, and you’re working out vexing things in the middle of the night, the last thing that’s happening is sleep.

The Bible makes pretty strong case for dreams as a means to receive divine messages. Jacob dreams of a ladder, with angels descending and ascending, and receives an affirmation of the covenant with Israel. Joseph dreamed of a future, when famine would ravage the land and he would have an opportunity to help his family. And Joseph also had the power to interpret dreams, something that came in handy in the court of Pharaoh. Leaping over today’s dream, we learn of Peter’s dream, a blanket from heaven covered in all kinds of creatures. The Lord blesses them in the dream and commands Peter to eat.

And then there is the story of Jesus’ birth. It begins with a vision, where Zacharias learns that Elizabeth will bear a child—the one who will one day baptize Jesus. And then there is the passage Bunny read, where Joseph is seeking a way to save Mary the hardship of ending their betrothal, when an angel appears in a dream, saying:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

At this point, Matthew breaks in and reminds his readers that all this was also the subject of a prophecy, when Isaiah said a young woman would bear a son, and he would be named Emmanuel, God-with-us. I think you can already see the problem with dreams: Is it Jesus, ‘for he will save the people from their sins,’ or is it Emmanuel, God-with us?

Well, it appears this child will have many names, with Isaiah suggesting Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace—just to name four. And this list is helpful, because it shows us that (in fact) Jesus has one name, but many titles. And that’s just on the night of his birth.

Why so many titles? I would argue that when we “put on Christ” (as Paul tells us) we also put on something we need. Dwelling in shadow? You need the Light of the World. Hungry for the food that truly nourishes? You need the Bread of Heaven. Feeling lost? You need the Good Shepherd. Jesus is ever near, to find us, feed us, illuminate us—and save us.

The dream is clear: “You are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” There’s more here, though, since Jesus is literally a Joshua, which the translation from Hebrew, to Greek, and to English, gives us Jesus. Now Joshua was a common name in the time of Jesus, but the reason was clear: it means “God is salvation,” or “God will save us.” Jesus’ name is both a prayer and an answer to prayer. Add Emmanuel—God-with-us—and it becomes even more fervent. God will save us and God is with us—Jesus is the hope and the answer.

And it begins with a dream. It begins with the dream of a world-made-new, where God enters the world to be our salvation. From that moment, and for all time, we can trust that God will save us and God-is-with-us. Whatever peril we face, we are not alone. Whatever circumstance confounds us, we are not alone. Whenever we are shadowed, hungry, or lost, we are not alone, for God will save us and God-is-with-us. Amen.

SOLO: “The First Noel”

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Gracious God,
help us hear the song of the angels,
and to go in heart and in mind to Bethlehem,
to see the loving-kindness of our God,
the babe lying in a manger.
On this night we are grateful,
that you love the world as to take human form,
and that you hear our prayers, and listen
as we pray for the needs of the whole world.
We remember especially
those whose lives are disrupted by the pandemic,
and by all other forces beyond their control…
We pray for peace and goodwill among the nations…
Let us pray for the earth,
as it longs for the promise of God’s new creation…
Let us remember before God all who are poor, hungry or cold…
all who are oppressed by circumstance or by other people…
all who are sick or dying, all who are lonely or frightened,
and all for whom Christmas is a time of sadness…
Lastly we remember, O God,
those who have gone before us,
whose company and voices we miss,
but who, in the grace and goodness of God,
still share Christmas with us.
With them, and with the multitude of angels
and God’s faithful of every time and place,
we celebrate the hope and the mystery
that Jesus Christ is born.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “Silent night, holy night”

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

BLESSING

The light that enlivens all the world,
the light that darkness cannot overcome,
love’s pure light in Jesus Christ,
shine on you and in our world this night. Amen.

Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.
The Christchild in his crib lies sleeping,
angels round him watch are keeping.
Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.

Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus, softly sleep,
while Mary sings and gently holds you,
safely in her arms enfolds you.
Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus softly sleep.

Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!
For through God’s holy incarnation
Christ is born for our salvation.
Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!

Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God’s Presence (UCPH). Thanks this week to Cor, Jenny, Dave, Taye, and Heather!

LIGHTING THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness shall never overcome it.
St. Augustine said, “By loving us, God,
You made us lovable.”
Source of LOVE, shine in our hearts,
that we might love everyone we meet.
Amen.

O come, O Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

OPENING PRAYER

O come, Emmanuel, come to us,
for we are lonely for God.
Come, bring the peace of God-with-us.
O come, Wisdom from on high,
lead us in the ways of knowledge,
and show us the paths of peace.
Glorious Shoot from the Jesse tree,
come and bring life,
fresh and green and lovely, to our spirits.
O Rose which blooms in the snow of winter,
come and grant to us the blessed gift of hope.
O Bright Morning Star of the darkened world,
come and be for us the Light, the Truth, and the Way.
Jesus our Christ, we welcome you.
Come and be known among us,
for we want to be your people. Amen.

HYMN: “Once in royal David’s city”

Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattleshed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven
who, with God, is over all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall.
There among the poor and lowly
lived on earth our Saviour holy.

For he is our lifelong pattern;
daily, when on earth he grew,
he was tempted, scorned, rejected,
tears and smiles like us he knew.
Thus he feels for all our sadness,
and he shares in all our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love;
for that child who seemed so helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.

INTRODUCTION TO LESSONS AND CAROLS

We begin our service of lessons and carols with some background. While King’s College, Cambridge remains the most famous example of lessons and carols—started in 1918—the tradition begins much earlier. The present form begins in 1880, in Truro, Cornwall, under the leadership of Bishop Edward Benson. He took carols and paired them with readings that recounted the complete story of our faith, from the Garden of Eden to the revelation of St. John.

The tradition, however, begins earlier still. The oratorio, developed in the 1600’s, combined orchestra, choir, and soloists to recount a sacred story. Some included a dialogue between saints and biblical characters, while others—such as Handel’s Messiah—drew on scripture alone.

Today we follow the theme of God’s light—beginning at the moment of creation and concluding with John’s promise that as the light shines in the darkness, the darkness will never overcome it. As we hear these familiar words, call to mind that everything God created was declared ‘good.’

FIRST READING: Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

SOLO: “See Amid the Winter’s Snow”

Bishop Benson’s service of nine lessons and carols began with Genesis 3, the story of Adam and Eve. The point of the reading—the fall of humanity—is summarized in the first verse of the next reading. The story of our salvation includes disobedience, exile, and the promise of one who will return to show us God’s way.

Isaiah 9 also highlights the Kingdom of God, the theme that Jesus taught throughout his earthly ministry. Every parable he told was a story of the Kingdom, and every interaction that brought healing and wholeness was a glimpse of his Kingdom.

SECOND READING: Isaiah 9.2, 6-7

2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

HYMN: “O little town of Bethlehem”

O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary;
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth.

How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessed gift of heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel.

Like the Cambridge version, we include two readings from the prophet Isaiah. This underlines the importance of Isaiah, famously described by St. Jerome as “more evangelist than prophet.” In fact, some scholars have called the Book of Isaiah “the fifth Gospel,” owing to it’s importance in the development of the Christian faith.

Our third reading describes the scope of God’s promise. We will hear this reading again in the season of Epiphany—it reminds us that the light is for all people. Beginning with God’s chosen, and shining for everyone to see, God’s glory will be revealed.

THIRD READING: Isaiah 60.1-3

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.

SOLO: “Il est né, le divin Enfant”

Our fourth reading describes the heart of the nativity according to St. Luke. Jesus’ background and present circumstances are less important than the heavenly messages we are meant to hear.

It begins with Zechariah. The father of St. John the Baptist is the first to hear an angel’s message: He and Elizabeth will have a son, and his task will be to “make ready a people,” and return to the wisdom of the righteous. Next, an angel appears to Mary, and she learns that she will give birth to the son of the Most High.

Finally, in Luke 2, an angel brings “good news of great joy for all people.” The shepherds are sore afraid, but they need not fear—the angel will guide them to a sign.

FOURTH READING: Luke 2.8-14

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”

HYMN: “Angels, from the realms of glory”

Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye who sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

Our fifth reading comes from the Book of Revelation, perhaps the most enigmatic book and the least read book in the Bible. The book has provoked debate from the earliest days of the Christian Church—the first debate was whether it should be included in the Bible at all!

The next debate, the debate that continues, concerns meaning. Does it describe past events, presented as future events? Is it a collection of prophecies, foretelling the future? Or is it an elaborate religious allegory that defies interpretation?

Whatever the meaning, chapter 21 seems clear: St. John sees a bright city on the hill, with God as the temple, and the lamb as the light casting light on the world.

FIFTH READING: Revelations 21.22-27

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates shall never be shut by day—and there shall be no night there; 26 they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

SPECIAL MUSIC: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman”

Matthew 2 gives us a glimpse of the time to come. Some are very excited that God is entering the world in a new way, while others conspire to prevent such a turn-of-events. Both reactions underline that something extraordinary happened in little Bethlehem, and the world would never be the same.

This passage also points to a recurring theme in these readings: Jesus is born for all people. Nations and kings will be drawn to him, and some will find him sooner than others. The story of how our faith is shared will be told in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, but the story of sharing faith begins here: Wise men seeking Jesus.

SIXTH READING: Matthew 2.1-2, 9-11

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” 9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

SOLO: “In the bleak midwinter”

Our look at lessons and carols concludes the same way the King’s College version does: with John’s prologue. For over a hundred years, these words within the service have formed an ending that is really a beginning: “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory” and we behold it still.

Even in the most trying circumstances, the service continued. Even in the darkness of the Second World War—with the stained glass windows removed for safe-keeping, and the bitter cold—the service continued. For the sake of security the name “King’s College” was not mentioned, though it hardly mattered—the message came through: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall never overcome it.”

SEVENTH READING: John 1.1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.
9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. 11 He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

HYMN: “In the darkness shines the splendour”

In the darkness shines the splendour
of the Word who took our flesh,
welcoming, in love’s surrender,
death’s dark shadow at his crèche.
Bearing every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.

Light of nations, veiled in history,
born of woman’s flesh and blood,
calling to the depths of mystery
restless hearts that seek the good.
Healing every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.

Broken bread, sustaining us in sorrow,
wine poured out to toast our joy;
exodus and new tomorrow,
life’s full promise to enjoy!
Gladdening every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.

All God’s people, sing in jubilation
of the birth that sets us free,
telling of the revelation:
Jesus, God’s epiphany.
Celebrate the human story!
Word made flesh reveals our glory.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Gracious God,
we pray this day
for all who have come with us to Bethlehem
We pray for all who are poor and cold
and hungry like the shepherds,
that they may hear good news.
We pray for all who are too tired for the journey,
that their bodies and souls may be healed,
that they grieve no more.
We pray for all who are wandering and searching like the magi,
that they may find the place to leave their gifts
and their burdens.
We pray for all who are busy, hurried,
preoccupied like the innkeeper,
that they may know the peace
that comes from genuine acts of hospitality.
We pray for all like Herod who have power,
that they may use it with good will.
We pray for ourselves—we who need comfort, peace and joy,
even in this starlit season,
and all the days of our lives. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “Hark! the herald angels sing”

Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!’
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’
Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King!’

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail, the incarnate deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King!’

Hail, the heavenborn Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King!’

BLESSING

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. Amen.
—1 Thessalonians 5:23

God be with you till we meet again;
loving counsels guide, uphold you,
with a shepherd’s care enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God’s Presence (UCPH). Thanks this week to Taye and Heather, and special thanks to Angus for sharing the Lord’s Prayer!

PRELUDE: “Angels We Have Heard on High” (French Traditional)

LIGHTING THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness shall never overcome it.
We struggle to celebrate,
in the midst of all that we face.
Send us JOY, and light our way,
that we might find joy and share joy today.
Amen.

O come, O Dayspring, from on high,
and cheer us by your drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

OPENING PRAYER

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
to the empty-handed and the heavy-hearted,
to the despairing and the despised.
Enter this world,
giving love to the lowly and hope to the downcast.
Dwell among us, and teach us your ways,
saving the lost and strengthening the weak.
Be made incarnate within us,
that we might cast away fear and live boldly by faith.
With gratitude that you come to be with us,
we worship joyfully this day. Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE: “It came upon the midnight clear”

It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold,
‘Peace on the earth, good will to all,
from heaven’s all-gracious King!’
The world in solemn stillness lay
to hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled;
and still their heavenly music floats
o’er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o’er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the angel strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
and warring humankind hears not
the love song which they bring.
O hush the noise, and cease your strife,
to hear the angels sing.

For, lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophets seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold,
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendours fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God,
be not distant from our hearts.
Be near to us.
Hold us in your presence
as a mother who enfolds her infant
within her arms.
May we, restless children that we are,
wait and hope for you.
Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

The Good News of this Advent season
is forgiveness of sin and new life.
Let us commit our lives
to Christ’s way of hope and peace.

SPECIAL MUSIC: “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (Traditional German Carol)

FIRST READING: Psalm 126

When God brought Zion’s captives home,
it seemed to us like a dream.
But then our mouths were full of laughter,
and our tongues uttered shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations:
‘God has done great things for them.’
Truly God has done great things for us,
and therefore we rejoice.

Restore our fortunes, O God, as streams refresh the Negev.
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying seed for sowing,
shall come home with songs of joy,
bringing in their sheaves.

SECOND READING: Luke 1.46b-55

My soul proclaims God’s greatness.
My spirit rejoices in God my saviour.
For you have looked with favour on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
You have done great things for me, O Most Mighty.
Hallowed be your Name!
You have mercy on those who fear you,
From one generation to another.

You took action with a strong arm.
You scattered the proud in their conceit.
You pulled the mighty from their thrones.
You raised the lowly.
You filled the hungry with good things.
You sent the rich away empty.
You come to the aid of your servant, Israel,
for you remembered your promise of mercy,
to our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah,
and to their children in every age.

HYMN: “Joy is now in every place”

Joy is now in every place,
Christmas lightens every face;
now be with us, in your grace,
O hear us, bless us, holy Jesus.

May the star that shone that night,
making your poor stable bright,
fill our hearts with love and light, R

Through the New Year let it stay,
leading us upon your way,
making Christmas every day, R

Now and ever may we find
your good news to fill our mind:
peace and love to humankind, R

REFLECTION

Margaret Keenan was the first person to get the “the jab,” as they say in the UK. The soon-to-be 91 year-old described receiving the vaccine as the “best early birthday present.” It was a lovely moment, but then came the second recipient, an 81 year-old with the unlikely name William Shakespeare.

Twitter erupted: “They really are prioritising the elderly,” one person wrote, “this guy is 456.” Someone called it “the taming of the flu,” while another said, “I’m surprised they let William Shakespeare have the vaccine. I thought he was Bard.” I should stop. But one more: reflecting on the fame these two have gained after getting the jab, someone noted, “A plague on neither of their houses.”*

Ignoring the bad puns, it’s easy to feel joy and relief in the face of this long-awaited turn-of-events. It has a “beginning of the end” feeling to it, and somewhat perfectly timed, as we reach what are literally the darkest days of the year. If this was a seasonal film, this would be the moment for someone to shout “it’s a Christmas miracle!” And it certainly feels that way.

And beyond the feeling, some remarkable things have taken place: the early word was that vaccines can take years to develop—this one took about ten months. The early word was that finding one vaccine would be lucky—there are already three or more. Even the manufacture of doses, something that was predicted to take months or years, was started months ago, on the off-chance that the vaccine would eventually be approved.

So we praise God that we are here, waiting for the day we can get the jab, and we praise God for the gift of medicine, along with the gift of insight and imagination. God has shown us once more what’s possible when we focus all our attention on a problem. We can do something revolutionary.

Revolutionary. Revolutionary is one of those over-used words that has lost some of its power—perhaps too many hair products or exercise machines have been described using the word. When something is revolutionary—like developing a vaccine in a matter of months—it turns the existing order on its head, and it changes everything.

And the word also reminds us of political revolutions, a changing of the existing political order into something else altogether. Again, the word is often misapplied, with the most famous example being the American Revolution. For a revolution that proclaimed “all men are created equal,” there remained the bitter reality that 700,000 African-Americans were enslaved at the end of the revolution, or nearly one-in-six Americans. And this number would grow to 4,000,000 before slavery ended in 1865.

Turning to Oxford to help us understand what revolutionary truly means, we get “involving or causing a complete or dramatic change.” Like the Song of Mary:

You took action with a strong arm.
You scattered the proud in their conceit.
You pulled the mighty from their thrones.
You raised the lowly.
You filled the hungry with good things.
You sent the rich away empty.

It’s no surprise that when Latin-American theologians were trying to describe “a theology of liberation,” they pointed to Mary. Between Mary and Moses, and some early Isaiah thrown in for good measure, we begin to understand the radical nature of scripture. These three embody complete and dramatic change. For Isaiah it was “swords into plowshares,” an idea so powerful that it is carved in front of the UN headquarters. For Moses, it was literal liberation, the power of God to free God’s people. And for Mary it is predictive, a revolution that begins in Bethlehem and concludes at Calvary.

Why concludes? I say it concludes at Calvary because the cross is a once-and-for-all event, an event to reconcile us with God, to end death, and to ensure our freedom in the Spirit. The world no longer has hold over us, and we are free to live with love and mercy. But every conclusion, of course, must have a beginning: and the beginning of this revolution is God’s desire to enter the world in the most humble way possible, as a baby. And this is truly revolutionary: no strongman, no advancing army, no tactical plan. Just a baby, the most vulnerable form God could possibly assume.

But before we shift all our focus to the birth of Jesus, we would do well to remember Mary. For our Roman Catholic friends, she is the patron saint of all humanity, the Queen of Heaven, and the Our Lady of numerous locations. Our Lady of Guadalupe, as an example, is the patron saint of the Americans. And for all Christians, as declared at the Council of Ephesus (431), she is Theotokos, the Mother of God. In addition, Mary is the only woman named in the Quran—mentioned 70 times—and exalted as “the greatest of women.” Listen again to the beginning of her song:

My soul proclaims God’s greatness.
My spirit rejoices in God my saviour.
For you have looked with favour on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
You have done great things for me, O Most Mighty.
Hallowed be your Name!

As prophetic utterances go, this one remains true. From her lowly station she becomes mother, guardian, guide, follower, and witness to the resurrection. She inspires and blesses all humanity, with her song of liberation and her life with God. She reminds us that whatever seems fixed, or certain, or impossible to change can be quite the opposite. And she reminds us that praise and gratitude are at the centre of a life of faith.

May God see us through the dark days ahead, and may we never lose sight of hope, with Mary to guide us, Amen.

*https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/08/shakespeare-britain-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine/

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

We praise you, God of promise,
and give you thanks for Mary, a daughter of Israel:
who sang the songs of David,
who knew the deeds of Judith,
and held in her heart
the burning words of Isaiah.

Enter our hearts, as we praise you with thanksgiving:
for friends and family,
for meaning in our lives,
for warmth and food,
for a roof over our heads.
Hear us as we pray for ourselves and those close to us:
for the anxious ones,
and the hurting ones,
for the ill, and those who mourn.
Fill our hearts, as we ask your blessing upon the world
and all its people:
that peace may come,
that justice may come,
that joy may enter every heart.

We pray as Mary did:
may your name be holy,
may the hungry be filled,
may the proud be scattered,
and the oppressed raised.
May your love be ever with your people.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “The virgin Mary had a baby boy”

The virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come from the glory, (clap, clap)
he come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory, (clap, clap)
he come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, yes! believer! Oh, yes! believer!
He come from the glory, (clap, clap)
he come from the glorious kingdom.

The angels sang when the baby was born,
the angels sang when the baby was born,
the angels sang when the baby was born,
and they say that his name is Jesus. R

The shepherds came where the baby was born,
the shepherds came where the baby was born,
the shepherds came where the baby was born,
and they say that his name is Jesus. R

BLESSING

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. Amen.
—1 Thessalonians 5:23

God be with you till we meet again;
loving counsels guide, uphold you,
with a shepherd’s care enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God’s Presence (UCPH). Thanks this week to Dave, Cor, and Heather!

PRELUDE: “It came upon a midnight clear”

LIGHTING THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness shall never overcome it.
We are drawn to mayhem, forgetting we belong
to the Prince of PEACE.
Source of light, shine in our lives,
and in your world with your everlasting peace.
Amen.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who orders all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

OPENING PRAYER

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, O Promised One,
we come to this time of Advent awaiting your presence.
Give us the wisdom to see meaning in uncertainty.
Give us the courage to wait in times of pain and trouble.
Give us the compassion to wait for one another.
Give us the faith to wait for the Messiah
when we are threatened by the Herods of this world.
Give us the hope to wait for the Saviour
even when we cannot hear the angels singing.
Give us the love that does not wait
when it meets Christ in our neighbour. Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE: “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying”

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying,
a call from the ways untrod:
prepare in the desert a highway,
a highway for our God!
The valleys shall be exalted,
the lofty hills brought low;
make straight all the crooked places
where God, our God, may go!

O Zion, that bringest good tidings,
get thee up to the heights and sing!
Proclaim to a desolate people
the coming of their King.
Like the flowers of the field they perish,
like grass our works decay;
the power and pomp of nations
shall pass, like a dream, away.

But the word of our God endureth,
whose arm is ever strong;
God stands in the midst of nations,
and soon will right the wrong.
God shall feed the flock like a shepherd,
the lambs so gently hold;
to pastures of peace will lead them,
and bring them safe to fold.

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying,
a call from the ways untrod:
prepare in the desert a highway,
a highway for our God!
The valleys shall be exalted,
the lofty hills brought low;
make straight all the crooked places
where God, our God, may go!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

When the Lord comes,
things now hidden will come to light,
and the purposes of the heart
will be revealed to a forgiving God.
Everything done,
and everything undone,
will be met with mercy.
Help us gather in the desert,
and heed the Baptist’s cry,
to learn true repentance,
and the way of new life in Christ.
Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

The Good News of this Advent season
is forgiveness of sin and new life.
Let us commit our lives
to Christ’s way of hope and peace.

SPECIAL MUSIC: “There’s a Song in the Air” (Holland)

FIRST READING: Isaiah 40.1-11

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.[b]
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

SECOND READING: Mark 1.1-8

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”

HYMN: “O day of God, draw nigh”

O day of God, draw nigh
in beauty and in power,
come with your timeless judgement now
to match our present hour.

Bring to our troubled minds,
uncertain and afraid,
the quiet of a steadfast faith,
calm of a call obeyed.

Bring justice to our land,
that all may dwell secure,
and finely build for days to come
foundations that endure.

Bring to our world of strife
your sovereign word of peace,
that war may haunt the earth no more
and desolation cease.

O day of God, draw nigh
as at creation’s birth;
let there be light again, and set
your judgements in the earth.

REFLECTION

Who is about to be born, and in early middle-age, and about to begin a promising career, and apparently doomed?

If you answered Jesus, you would be correct. If you answered Jesus in the season of Advent, you get a bonus point. My riddle points to the mixed up timeline we’ve entered, and the extent to which the season is trying to accomplish several things at once.

Of course, the Bible is filled with biographies, stories of characters that give us a glimpse of the span of their lives. Most famous, perhaps, is Moses: from the babe in a basket to an aged liberator, gazing upon the promised land. Or David, a mere lad, out tending the sheep while God’s anointed is being chosen. We will see the span of his life too, victories, foundations, and personal defeats. Or Esther, the beautiful young orphan who becomes queen, develops a mastery of court life, and saves the Jewish people from death.

In each case, the story is told straight, a linear description from beginning to end: selected or saved for service, engaged in a crisis or conflict, and triumphant at the last. In each case, of course, it is God that is victorious, and we give thanks. What we don’t do, in the course of telling these stories, is interrupt the order: we wouldn’t tell the story of the burning bush to explain why the baby Moses was set adrift on the Nile.

In Advent, we enter a unique version of time. Future is present, the past predicts the future, and the one for whom we wait is already here. Heroes of the narrative occur in the middle of the story, but they help us prepare for the beginning. The baby John the Baptist may appear in the time of Jesus’ nativity, but now he’s the fully grown John who will help us prepare for Jesus’ birth.

“After me,” says John, “comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Again, these words fit the prelude to Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan, but they also describe our fondest hope, the time for which we wait.

The glue that holds this story together is baptism. John is practicing one aspect of baptism (“a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”) and Jesus another. John’s work, like Advent, is preparatory, allowing us to make room for Jesus to enter our hearts. We must die to our old selves to welcome him in, to find new life in Christ. St. Paul knew this better than most:

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Rom 3)

In Athens, the wise ones would say “tell us more, for you are bringing strange things to our ears.” (Acts 17) It is strange, to conflate baptism and death, but remember that the timelines are not what they seem. When we were baptized we entered the death and resurrection of Jesus, not some distant event, but the same death and resurrection that happens at every baptism, both now and in the future.

This is what John means when he describes our baptism as baptism with the Holy Spirit. It exists outside of time, and it defies time, because new life in Christ never stops happening. Maybe this is why Paul’s Athenian friends were so puzzled. Your life unfolded in a predictable manner: spun, measured, and cut, without any sense that it could be respun or uncut or measured in a different way. Jesus takes away loom and tape and scissors, sets them aside, and says ‘walk with me, and follow in my way.’ Nothing about your life is set when we’re talking about new life in Christ.

Just now the practical people are crying out for something tangible, and for them, I have a confession. Not an actual confession, though I do have a few. My confession is the abiding belief that confession is at the very heart of who we are and what we do. In confession, we ask God to help us set aside the things we regret and the things that are holding us back.

But there is more than just that. In confession we send a signal to others that it’s healthy and appropriate to name the ways we fall short and seek forgiveness. In a world of facades and falsehoods, we can be the voice that says “we all screw up, and we all need God’s help to get by.” We can’t self-pardon. But when we model a way of being that includes humility and a realistic sense-of-self, it can start catching. Maybe others will admit they’ve failed, and fallen short, and that they need something outside themselves to make it right. That is when the Spirit moves, and new life comes.

So John was right all along. People enter the desert places longing for something, anything that can help them. And he appears, practicing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins—which was always just a fancy way to describe confession. They were busy making room: leaving cluttered lives and unresolved situations to seek the new life that only God in Christ can bring.

May God bless you as our Advent journey continues. May you enter and reenter the story as needed, always aware that it leads to new life. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

“A voice cries in the wilderness:
prepare the way of the Lord!”
O God, we pray that in our hearts
your way may be prepared,
that the path among us,
by which your Spirit comes,
may be made straight.
Prepare among us the path of peace.
Grant the peace that comes in following your ways,
in opening our lives to you, and sharing our gifts for your sake.
Prepare among us the path of love.

We pray for all who need to be embraced by love:
all who are cramped and narrowed in spirit;
all who have lost the ability to trust;
all who ache for a signal they are cherished;
all who gather in the desert wastes of this world
beset by longing or great need.
We pray for those in need of hope today:
all who mourn the death of a loved one;
who grieve the end of a relationship;
who are worried for a friend;
all who are anxious for a family member’s health;
people who are overwhelmed by illness or disability;
who live in the midst of social collapse,
warfare or grinding poverty.
Prepare among us the path of joy.
We pray for those whose spirits need to be buoyed up
and who have forgotten childhood’s gift
of taking delight in the simple things of life,
which come from you, O generous God.

Hear our thanks and praise as our spirits turn to you,
and as we remember, in a moment of silence,
the blessings we enjoy…
O God of hope, peace, joy, and love,
we honour you now and always,
through Jesus, your Anointed One,
and in the expectant power of your Holy Spirit.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “On Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry”

On Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lamb is nigh;
awake and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings of the King of Kings.

Then cleansed be every life from sin;
make straight the way for God within;
and let each heart prepare a home
where such a mighty guest may come.

In you, we find abundant life,
our refuge in the midst of strife;
without your grace we waste away,
like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth your hand, our health restore,
and help us rise to fall no more.
O let your face upon us shine,
and fill the world with love divine.

All praise to you, eternal Son,
whose advent has our freedom won;
and praise to God whom we adore,
with Holy Spirit evermore.

BLESSING

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. Amen.
—1 Thessalonians 5:23

God be with you till we meet again;
loving counsels guide, uphold you,
with a shepherd’s care enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.