2021 Advent Meditations

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2021

William Brassey Hole, (c. 1846-1917) Annunciation Oil on Canvas

Welcome to the holy season of Advent. Over the next few weeks, we will all be pulled in countless directions, with demands put on our time and energy. Although we can’t ignore many of those demands, I invite you to make an intentional choice to find a moment of quiet each day. I want you to carve out time every day to stop, to listen, and to reflect on what God is doing in your life and the life of our church.

Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation, and the true joy of Advent comes in the anticipation of a moment, an event, a miracle that changed the world forever. This is the season when we remember that Jesus came into the world to show us, tangibly, how much God loves us. And when we truly know we are loved, we can begin to reflect that love to ourselves and to others.

The book you hold in your hands is a gift to you. Receive this gift with the love and hope for which it was made and use it to find moments of peace every day. You are loved, and love is the greatest gift.

With great hope,

The Rev. Dr.Christopher Girata Rector

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1ST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

NOVEMBER 28

KEN BRANNON

Vice Rector

Amos 1:1-5, 13-2:8 | 1 Thess. 5:1-11 | Luke 21:5-19 | Psalms 111,112,113,146,147 Welcome to the Saint Michael Advent Book! It is our hope that this book of daily meditations, as well as our clergy podcast series (available at www.saintmichael.org/smaapod), will be a source of encouragement for you as you walk the Way of Jesus this Advent.

I love this meditation book because of the variety of voices we hear from — voices that invite us to get ready for the coming of Christ.

Advent is a unique season in the life of the Church. It involves repentance, but it’s not only a penitent season.

It involves joy, but we’re not ready to pull out all the stops yet.

In Advent, we spend time getting ready…preparing the way. We make sure our lamps are lit for the arrival of the special guest…we remember that we are children of light.

Here’s one way to shine the light of Christ this Advent: encourage one another. The writer of First Thessalonians writes, “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.”

Life is hard. We can’t make it on our own. We need encouragement from our family, friends, and sometimes perfect strangers.

That’s one thing Saint Michael Church can do this Advent: we can be a people of encouragement. Listen to those who need to talk…be kind to those who are pressed down…lend a hand to those who are faltering.

And maybe most importantly for Saint Michael folk: don’t be afraid to receive kindness when it is extended; there’s no extra credit in heaven for refusing encouragement from others.

I see examples of encouragement every day: facilities staff moving furniture quickly between services… members of the altar guild adjusting a frontal color at the last minute…a receptionist listening patiently to someone who just wants to talk. We are surrounded by acts of encouragement, and that’s one of the ways that we prepare for the coming of Christ.

Who knows? Through our acts of encouragement, we might be ministering to angels unawares!

God bless you this Advent. And trust that God will bless others as you encourage them on the Way.

2 | *Passages in bold have been selected by the author as the subject of that day’s meditation.

NOVEMBER 29

TERRY DEMLER Project Moses

Amos 2:6-16 | 2 Pet. 1:1-11 | Matt. 21:1-11 | Psalms 1,2,3,4,7 Advent is coming! Advent is here! Hurry up and wait! But I’ve been waiting for Advent and I have to wait some more? Yes, we will wait more. Hmmm. So, what shall I do while I am waiting? Well, that is a good question.

What. Will. I. Do? Fortunately, one of our readings for today is from Second Peter 1: 1-11 and has provided me with a list!

Peter tells us that “you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love”.

I am reminded by the above that my faith is not just one thing, but many things blended. A framework for me to tend and build with each one making the other stronger.

In the face of adversity, I must call on my self-control so that I am not pulled under and filled with doubt or fear.

Studying the bible helps me to have a deeper knowledge of the amazing characters found in the stories and enjoy becoming “friends” with them.

Endurance (see patience) is at times easy and other times not so much! Our world is hurrying up and having it, get it now, go there, see that…whew! As the saying goes – “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon” And though I am well into my personal marathon there are still a ways to go and things to do.

I am not sure that the four weeks of Advent are enough for me to make much of a dent in my quest for godliness. I think I will just leave that there.

Mutual affection and love are two things I know about. However, while I am waiting there is work to be done.

I try so hard to love my neighbor but fall short many times. I need to try harder to see the face of God in the face across from me. Who knows, maybe they are thinking the same of me.

Peter continues…”For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

I am sure none of us want to be ineffective or unfruitful. We all have a ministry that speaks to us and our love of it or them drives us to give of our time and talents. And we pray that we are able, in some small way, to make a difference.

So, I will wait. And work. I will wait with hope, love, peace and joy for the bright light that is coming.

Thanks be to God. 3

NOVEMBER 30

CELISE STEPHENSON

Database Manager & Parish Records

Amos 3:1-11 | 2 Pet. 1:12-21 | Matt. 21:12-22 | Psalms 5,6,10,11 I stole some figs. Some were soft and juicy and mercifully sweet. Some were hard and dry and punishing. I’m not a professional thief, but I should have known better than to climb naked into a local fig tree. I was itchy and irritable afterward, but still pining for more sweet fruit. The next night, I put on protective clothing and went back, got myself more fruit and spread it on the ground. I examined each fig in the starlight. I looked for insects, squeezed gently to test for ripeness, noted the color, the aroma, the humidity. This time, I ate only the best. I put the bad ones in the compost.

Amos was not a professional prophet, but a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. In the biblical fig tree, the fruit must be pierced with an iron hook so it will ripen and be ready to pick three days later. He was an independent agent for social justice, prophesying in his spare time. Amos’ message is that Israel, being favored by God, should know better than to abuse the poor; therefore, Israel will be more severely punished in a covenantal lawsuit.

2 Peter was an imposter of sorts, not the “real” Simon Peter, but claimed fame as an eyewitness to Jesus. 2 Peter’s message is that more than knowledge and faith is needed to avoid divine punishment.

Matthew begins with a gentle Jesus, a healing Jesus, a miracle Jesus who forbids anger and exhorts us to forgive our enemies, then shifts to a vituperous name-calling Jesus whose parables include a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth, and a fruitless fig tree. Matthew’s message is to do good deeds and inherit the Kingdom, or else wither and die under a divine curse.

I’m not wild about the Bible. I don’t like the whiplash of affirmation-negation. I have to arm myself with other books, steal from them, just to ride the rails of one day’s liturgy. Today’s arsenal is Dickenson’s Poem 685, Crosson’s How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, and liberties taken with both Landau’s Revelation of the Magi and a lovely snippet from 2 Peter 1:19. In reverse order: the morning star rises in our hearts the Star of Bethlehem, Christ Himself, descends among us,

we follow; we see visions covenant is always a bilateral process Not “Revelation” — ‘tis — that waits, but our unfurnished eyes

If I prefer mercy, I can see that the itchy naked fellow needs my coat, needs starlight to show him the sweetest fruits, needs anointing with salve, needs welcoming into the one Kingdom which contains the two furnished eyes.

Or, if I have the taste for violence, I could catch the ugly thief in my trees and crush him underfoot.

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DECEMBER 1

CYNTHIA SAMPLE Writers’ Workshop

Amos 3:12-4:5 | 2 Pet. 3:1-10 | Matt. 21:23-32 | Psalms 12,13,14,119:1-24 Whenever He shows up, something happens.

Shouldn’t these courts be contemplative?

But no…

Romans outside the gates scream their assaults, shake spears and rattle whips.

False conquerors stomping through.

Priests’ robes jangle as they rustle on stone floors, voices barb-edged, commanding obedience, accusing with their questions, Talking talking talking.

Jewish princes stomping on souls.

But He walks on soft-sandaled feet, gliding quiet as if in a dream from which none wish to wake.

Most fall back, misunderstanding their own reverence.

‘Just who do you think you are,’ an ancient one demands.

He points a be-ringed finger, knuckles cramped, convinced history confers the power to damn, a cracking voice uttering consequences never to fall, Insisting on old salvation rules, on lies.

But His lips curve a sly smile.

He redefines authority, cuts the braid between power and dominance, the tie between blessedness and stainlessness.

Arrogance slain with just a story, but mostly silence silence silence… amid the loving gaze.

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DECEMBER 2

CAROL ROEHRIG Women-Word-Work

Amos 4:6-13 | 2 Pet. 3:11-18 | Matt. 21:33-46 | Psalms 18:1-50 David sang this song to the Lord when he was delivered from the hand of Saul and his enemies. Victory at last!

He honors God using descriptors such as “strength,” “rock,” “fortress,” “deliverer,” “shield,” and “stronghold.”

David cried out to God in battle with prayers for help. This psalm shows his cries of thanksgiving and praise.

We faced the struggle with a disease that upset our lives. When I hear “fortress,” I picture being isolated in my home defending against the vestiges of the unknown coronavirus. How about those masks as our “shields”?

Some of us might feel deliverance through vaccinations. Family members and friends were the “rocks” immediately around us. God shaped David through his adversity, when he was under stress and always on alert for the next sword or spear. I believe God molded us through this time to know His strength and love to keep us going amid the mayhem.

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.”

Sometimes it feels as though we are drowning in uncertainty, confusion and doubt. Why on earth did our worlds get turned upside down? David soldiered on for years, but never gave up and continued his faith, because he knew God’s strength was far greater than his own weakness. AND when victory arrived, David gave the credit to God. “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”

“I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”

Perhaps it is time for us to join David in rejoicing and gratitude: “Therefore, I will praise you Lord among the nations, I will sing the praises of your name.

He gave his king great victories, He shows unfailing love to his anointed, To David and to his descendants forever.”

Filled with our joyful chorus, “I love you Lord, my strength.”

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DECEMBER 3

MARDIE SCHOELLKOPF

Bible Study Fellowship

Amos 5:1-17 | Jude 1-16 | Matt. 22:1-14 | Psalms 16,17,22 I have a close friend living today because of the immunotherapy drug.

I have the dearest one who has worn glasses for decades that is free from them because of advances in eye surgery.

I also have a precious friend who died from Covid-19 recently.

These are facts of life — the bitter and the sweet. And our Lord is present in all of this. I am comforted by the words in both Psalm 16 and 17 that the Lord counsels and guides me at night. I experience the joys of life in his presence and eternal pleasures at his right hand.

In these Psalms the Lord’s right hand is spoken of as it is all through the Bible. In Exodus 15:6 the Lord’s right hand was majestic in power and shattered the enemy. In Psalm 17 and 18 we are saved and sustained by the Lord’s right hand. And one of my favorites is Isaiah 41:13 “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you — do not fear, I will help you.”

In my own life as a mother of two young boys many, many years ago, countless times I grabbed a hand to walk across a street, to pull them up from a fall, or to walk with them in the dark. The memories of these precious times were a protective and loving gesture but also instinctive.

The guide lines from these Psalms are indisputable. We are told to test and approve to see what the will of God is. We do this by making decisions that transform our thinking by the reading of God’s Word. Do we please God or ourselves? Our salvation is the Lord’s gift to us. We did nothing to attain it.

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DECEMBER 4

RALPH COUSINS Stewardship Committee

Amos 5:18-27 | Jude 17-25 | Matt. 22:15-22 | Psalms 20, 21:1-14, 110:1-7, 116, 117 Amos, a simple shepherd, preached to Israel that Yehweh was displeased. Yehweh was unhappy with Israel because they oppressed the poor. God wanted Israel to change its ways, repent. He was not content with rote, formalized worship, burnt offerings and sacrifices, the core of temple worship. Mechanical, empty rites without action are hollow. What did God want? Amos answers in one of the most majestic similes in Hebrew Scripture: But let justice roll down like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

References to water are throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Water is essential for life, our physical life, and our spiritual life. The same spirit that moved over the surface of the water at creation, rippled the water at the Bethesda pool. The Ark floated on cleansing water. Red Sea waters saved Israel. At Jesus’ baptism, and at ours, water healed. The still waters of Psalm 23 soothe and calm. In the Christian testament water is a metaphor for divine knowledge. The Samaritan woman at the well heard Jesus say that divine water gushes up and quenches the universal thirst for peace, justice and eternal life.

As in the creation narrative water is formless. Better said, water conforms to the shape of any vessel that holds it. It can be still and tranquil and it can be powerful and potent. Is it any wonder then that Yahweh, through Amos, likens justice to a mighty, rushing stream? Righteousness rushes to fill every nook and cranny. Roaring water is powerful. It cannot be held back. Even the most violent torrent eventually stills. That stillness brings cleansing, nourishment, and peace.

And yet, the ever-flowing stream continues.

Are the waters in your life roiling and chaotic? Are there whirlpools of injustice in your life?

Can you bring the divine water to someone in your life? To yourself? What would justice and righteousness in your life look like? Feel like? Are we guilty, as were the Israelites in the Temple, of sterile, empty worship devoid of enthusiasm and action? Do the rushing waters of righteousness surround you?

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2ND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 5

MARY LOUISE HOPSON Women of Saint Michael

Amos 6:1-14 | 2 Thess. 1:5-12 | Luke 1:57-68 | Psalms 114, 115, 148, 149, 150

As I write this, it’s 72 degrees and sunny outside. A good day to think about Psalm 148, in which we are praising God’s universal glory, asking that all things praise the One who created our Earth — mountains, trees, wild animals and cattle, creeping things and flying birds.

God commanded the creation of all these things. And we should find the time to appreciate what is all around us daily.

I have learned a lot from Saint Michael’s gifted teachers, especially in the last several years and particularly during these challenging pandemic times. In the Enneagram class, we learned how each of us could become closer to the person God envisions us to be. We also learned about setting aside a quiet time each day to invite God into our lives, to stop and breathe, to be present in the moment, to reflect. Call it meditation, call it centering prayer, call it focusing on the breath, call it taking a break from the thrum of daily activity.

It’s not easy to find time to take this time regularly, but a commitment to the habit can yield new insights.

What will happen to you if you set aside this quiet time? You’ll pray more. You’ll be more thankful. You’ll notice more details. There’s a lot to see out there, and all this creation comes from God. This awareness happens when we are deliberate and set aside this time, but it also can happen randomly.

In the space of a few days, I saw a huge flock of migratory birds as they sailed smoothly southward. A full moon set in the west among drifting clouds as daylight dawned. A blue jay bathed in the bird bath outside the kitchen window. These moments could have passed me by, but I stopped and noticed and am enriched by the experiences.

Whether we see them or not, these things are happening in our world, even in a pandemic that we hope, fervently, is waning. And here is the silver lining of our past year and a half: As we “pivoted,” we had the opportunity to reset our priorities, to realize what is truly important in our lives. Maybe we had a bit of extra time to think about all of it, to realize and praise “God’s universal glory,” be that via a streaming service, a Sunday school class, meditating each day, saying our prayers, or just sitting outside.

And here is a bonus dividend: Setting aside a quiet time and being available to notice will give us opportunities to discern our own gifts and how they may be used for the greater good in our church and in our community — to be more the person that God wants us to be.

Stop, breathe, exhale. Be quiet, look, and see God in our lives. See the difference.

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DECEMBER 6

PEGGY CARR Chalice Bearer

Amos 7:1-9 | Rev 1:1-8 | Matt. 22:23-33 | Psalms 9, 15, 25 Today is St. Nicholas Day. According to Wikipedia, he was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent. He was the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, prostitutes, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people and students in various cities and countries around Europe. He was known for his generosity and kindness.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take heart.

Psalm 15:1-2 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.

My good friend Effie McCullough was Greek and always talked about St Nicholas on this day. She even had a brother named Nicholas. She also went to her children’s schools and did a cultural demonstration on St. Nicholas and Effie was known for helping others with her generosity and kindness.

Psalm 9:18 God will never forget the needy, the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

Psalm 25:4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.

Legend has it that St. Nicholas had a habit of secret gift-giving. He is said to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them. (Wikipedia) Today, think of one thing you can do in secret and keep it to yourself. Pray to be like St. Nicholas and Effie in these days of Advent.

Dear God, we thank you for the opportunity to help others, and especially to do so in secret (hard as that may be!) Watch over us during Advent to look for those who are needy while we are so very blessed. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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DECEMBER 7

RENE SOMODEVILLA Sunday Priest Assistant

Amos 7:10-17 | Rev. 1:9-16 | Matt. 22:34-46 | Psalms 26, 28, 36, 39 Since early summer, we have been traveling with Jesus and His disciples toward Jerusalem. On the way, Jesus has encountered a myriad of people with different needs, questions, and situations. He has also been challenged by the established church leaders. In today’s reading from Matthew we find an encounter with a scribe which changes the practice of the greatest commandment in the Torah.

Knowing that Jesus has silenced the Sadducees, the scribe asks Jesus a question that Rabbis had been debating for years. Which is the greatest or first commandment?

Jesus’ response is from the Book of Deuteronomy when Moses presents the Shema as the first and great commandment before the Jews enter the Promised Land. Jesus then adds a statement from Leviticus which expands the understanding of the word “neighbor.” In Leviticus the term applies only to other Jews; Jesus expands the definition under the law of love to include anyone – Jew or Gentile.

In this season of preparation and expectancy, we think of others more than at other times of the year. As we receive the gift of the Christ child, we want to include others in our joy and to remain centered on the reason for this season. We could do as our Jewish brothers and sisters do and recite the Shema upon waking and before going to bed. It is a way to place ourselves in a conscious way before God as we live our lives.

“Hear O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

– Deuteronomy 6:4-5

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DECEMBER 8

ELIZABETH LANG Education For Ministry

Amos 8:1-14 | Rev.1:17-2:7 | Matt.23:1-12 | Psalms 38, 119:25-48 Jesus lived in an “honor/shame” society. This is a culture in which “honor’ and “saving face” dominate. Social recognition of one’s power and prestige because of one’s status is more important than private pleasure, wealth, or even life itself. The “shame” of losing honor through humiliation or loss of reputation is terrible.

It may be hard for us to imagine the importance of public acknowledgement in a culture saturated with the notions of honor and shame, but Jesus saw its downside. He advised his followers to heed the traditional teachings of religious leaders but not their outward actions because they were so concerned with honor.

Leaders flaunted their piety and prestige to gain homage. They loved “to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplace.” In sharp contrast to the values of his society, Jesus claimed that for his followers, “The greatest among you will be your servant.”

I wonder what Jesus would see in our social context that needs correction. Instead of an honor/shame culture, we live in a success/failure society. Honor is good; success is good. It is the exaltation of “success” which is the problem. Thus, students feel the need to cheat or plagiarize to increase their grades. Saving money becomes more important than safety on a film set. Persons see human value in terms of financial worth. Like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, we allow cultural norms to subvert religious standards. In America religion sometimes becomes a business. When I was a member of a church in Ohio, the Episcopal Church Women were holding a fundraiser – a rummage sale. A woman showed up looking for shoes that she could wear for business interviews. Her husband recently had lost his job; finances were tight; the family was in crisis. I thought it would be demeaning to give her rummage-sale shoes, but I wanted to help her find appropriate footwear that would not cost much. As she and I were looking for pumps, one of the churchwomen called out to me, “Make sure that you charge her plenty; the money is for the church.” I could hear in my head Amos condemning those whose goal was increasing their wealth by “buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.”

Jesus does not assign worth according to “success/failure” or “honor/shame.” Jesus, “whose service is perfect freedom,” liberates us from standards which distract us from loving one another.

“The greatest among you will be your servant.” How does this statement compare with our contemporary models of success? If you were liberated from the fear of failure or the need to achieve noteworthy success, how could you be free to serve?

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DECEMBER 9

JOHN ELLERMAN Men of Saint Michael

Amos 9:1-10 | Rev. 2:8-17 | Matt. 23:13-26 | Psalms 37:1-42 We all know that King David was a prolific author. There are 150 psalms in the Book of Psalms, and David is connected to 73 of them as either the author or recipient. When we read a psalm, it is important to remember that a psalm is mostly poetry and not an essay. As poetry, a psalm speaks to our emotions and feelings in addition to our minds.

Psalm 37 is one of the longest psalms in the Bible. Its basic theme is that we should always trust in God and turn away from evil and wickedness. Throughout the psalm, David warns about the abuses of the wicked and repeatedly instructs us to turn our attention to trust in God. The following are some key verses from Psalm 37: “The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

But their swords will pierce their own hearts and their bows will be broken.”

“Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.

For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.”

“Hope in the Lord and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.”

Unfortunately, there is much evil in our world today. Evil can take many forms, and broadly speaking, there are two types of evil: moral evil (e.g., murder, terrorism, violence), and physical evil (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes). All evil is frightening to humanity, but moral evil is the most frustrating kind of evil because of its personal or human elements.

In this psalm, David is telling us to put our trust in God, even when confronted with evil and wickedness.

Although God cannot always guarantee us physical safety, we know that God provides us with spiritual safety.

We need to recognize that God loves us unconditionally, and through the providence of his grace will always stand by us and protect us spiritually.

During this Advent season, let us take heart in knowing that we are preparing for the arrival of the Prince of Peace, God’s son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, let us never fail to put our trust in you. As we await the arrival of your Son during Advent, may we find comfort in knowing that you gave us Jesus to save the world from sin and to show us the majesty of your heavenly kingdom. Amen.

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DECEMBER 10

BARBARA KENNARD Lector

Haggai 1:1-15 | Rev. 2:18-29 | Matt. 23:27-39 | Psalms 31, 35 Psalm 31 calls our attention to the ways in which God is watching out for us. God inclines his ear to us; God is a refuge for us, a fortress to keep us safe. God is gracious to us and his goodness and love are plentiful.

Even if we are the scorn of adversaries and acquaintances, God sees our distress and vulnerabilities and takes care of us.

As a device to accentuate the psalmist’s feelings, the psalmist weaves a call and response structure to her lament. Over and over, we are reminded of God’s great mercy and the psalmist’s faith in God to rescue her from her enemies. But the enemy is always around, ‘watching night and day to sow the tare, to snatch the seed away.” (Hymn 541) These adversaries can be very real to us. They can be the words and actions of people we love, as well as logismoi, the dark forces of the world that assault our minds and hearts and seek to separate us from God. But, the psalmist keeps turning towards God, commending her spirit into God’s hands (verse 5). Indeed, this verse is often chanted by monastics and lay people at the end of the day as part of the Examen, the giving back of one’s day to God. We are told by Ignatius of Loyola, if one is to do nothing else in the way of spiritual practices, giving our day back to God with all our sins and sadness, joys and successes is crucial to having a right relationship with God. Find a space and time at the end of the day to offer God all your thoughts, words, and deeds from the day. Then give thanks for it all: the good and the bad. Doing this on a daily basis reminds us of our mortality and God’s sustaining love for us. For it is by God’s Grace that we wake in the morning to another day.

How, we might ask, is Psalm 31 appropriate for Advent, a season that calls for our willingness to wait, to be quiet, to listen for God? It’s hard to do this when we feel besieged by the world, not to mention the anxiety and hype of Christmas. Yet, in the words of Henry Nouwen, we are called to “be in the world, but not of it.”

Psalm 31 reminds us that by resting in God, we can give over whatever weighs us down in the faith and hope that God is rescuing us before we can even ask. Advent is the beginning of the church year, but we need not limit the commending of our spirits to God to a season. Let it become part of what we do each day as we travel The Way.

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DECEMBER 11

JIM PACCONE

Men’s Lectionary Bible Study

Haggai 2:1-9 | Rev. 3:1-6 | Matt. 24:1-14 | Psalms 30, 32, 42, 43 Wake up. Get to work. Trust in me; for I am with you.

Revelation 3:1-6 To the Church at Sardis, The Dead Church - Wake Up! “…You have a name (reputation) of being alive, but you are dead.”

“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain”, “If you conquer…I will confess your name before my father” Here the message is to wake up and take a good hard look at yourselves – ourselves - myself. The Lord sees what is truly there. “I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead.” The church (at Sardis) has grown complacent. While everything looks good, they are just going through the motions. Have I become complacent? Am I on autopilot? I like being comfortable – especially now as the weather gets cooler – but have I grown too comfortable.

Now, during Advent, is a time to change. To step outside of my comfort zone and act on my faith. I have time but how much? Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

“I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.”

Haggai 2: 1-9 To the religious and political leaders as well as “the people” – Get To Work “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now?” Haggai calls on all to rebuild the temple and “the splendor of this house will be greater than the former.”

How easy it is to look to the past and let the longing for what once was prevent us from bringing forth what can be.

How can I help rebuild the temple? I am just one person, and the task is so large. It is easy to be overwhelmed and do nothing.

“Take courage for I am with you… according to the promise I MADE you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.”

Matthew 24: 1-14 Jesus teaches the disciples not to concern themselves with what will come.

War, famines, and earthquakes “…all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.” The beginning, not the end! The birth of a new age, not the end of time. But it will not come easily. There will be persecution and betrayal and hate. “ “And because of the increase of lawlessness; the love of many will grow cold.”

Have I allowed myself to grow cold? In this polarized cultural climate, as we still wait for the new age, have I allowed myself to “betray and hate … another?” Together we can do better knowing that “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” To our end, not “the end” So, wake up. Get to work and build the temple. And trust in the Lord.

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3RD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 12

NANCY SOMODEVILLA Lectio Divina

Amos 9:11-15 | 2 Thess. 2:1-3, 13-17 | John 5:30-47 | Psalms 63:1-11, 98, 103 There is a wonderful story I would like to share with you written by Urban T. Holmes who was an Episcopal priest and noted theologian.

There was a young boy named Jimmy who had been given a baseball bat for his tenth birthday. He was thrilled and excited to run outside with dreams of hitting a ball into a homerun, playing with his friends, and enjoying the beautiful weather. It was a perfect day. He ran down the block and ran even faster as he approached town. “I can’t wait to get to the park!” he thought.

He swirled the bat around and swung it as if hitting a ball in the World Series. He was certain that this would be the best day of his young life. He had visions of slugging a home run. As he ran down the street the bat suddenly slipped through his fingers and flew through the air…and…CRASH! The bat flew through the window of the drug store. Disaster! Jimmy looked at the broken glass and mess outside and inside the store. The bat lay in the middle of it all. People came running and the owner of the store came out yelling.

“Who did this and who will pay for it?”

Jimmy could not think or speak and just trembled at the trouble he was in. He tried to find an answer or some courage to explain. Just when he lost all hope he felt a hand on each shoulder. He looked up to see his mother and father. They spoke out. “This is our son. We are his family. We are in this together and we will work together to make everything right.”

The readings today remind us that we are all part of God’s family. God stands with us through the terrifying, sad and glorious times. God is there always to support and care for us. God is there to celebrate as we laugh and dance. God is there when we cry out for help or sob with sadness. God is there as we gaze at nature and see beauty. God is there when we are alone or when we are with friends or family.

Thanks be to God.

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DECEMBER 13

BHAVNITA MASIH

Executive Assistant to the Rector

Isaiah 8:16-9:1 | Psalms 41, 44, 52 | 2 Peter 1:1-11 | Luke 22:39-53 “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.”

– Psalm 41:1 As a parent, I would not – could not – stand for injustice being done against one of my children. And right now, my middle schooler is facing injustice: bullying by those he thought were friends. As he recounted his experiences of being included, then ridiculed, and finally rejected, my heart broke into a million pieces while rage filled my veins. As I made my plans to exact revenge – I’m only half joking – I was reminded of someone else that was betrayed by a friend.

In Psalms 41, we encounter a betrayed David baring his heart before the Lord recounting how he was slandered by his enemies. And a few verses later, he transitions right into asking God for what he needs while knowing God is pleased with him and upholds him because of his integrity – David’s integrity.

I can only imagine what a painful time this was in David’s life. Yet, through his pain, he praised God. And instead of staying in the pit of misery, he chose to exalt God while trusting that he would be delivered “in times of trouble”. He knew God would have his back because David trusted God. And although my son is enduring his own betrayal, I need to remind him – and myself – that we serve a God who protects us, preserves us, and set us apart to be in His presence forever. And, despite this temporary trial, we can choose to praise God because His love and mercy endures forever.

So, what happened with my plans for revenge? Well, I tabled them and my son decided to forgive his foes and focus on friends – real friends. I also reminded him that even though we are not taking justice in our own hands, he can trust that I have his back. And even better, the God of the universe has his back.

And knowing that our Savior came into our world to endure the most painful of betrayals for our sake humbles me to the core. What else can I do but praise Him and give Him all the Glory? After all, He is called Immanuel “God with us” for a reason. And my prayer is that you know that God is with you, too. And you can trust Him because He’s got your back as well.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.”

– Psalm 41:13

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DECEMBER 14

CHRISTIAN BASEL Curate

Zech. 2:1-13 | Rev. 3:14-22 | Matt. 24:32-44 | Psalms 45, 47, 48 Have you ever been totally in awe of something? Maybe you remember a particularly beautiful sunset, or a clear mountain view after a long hike, or maybe a musical performance or piece of visual art that leaves you speechless, or even the first time you held your child or grandchild. There are so many things in this life that leave us without words, certainly too many to list or consider here. I can think of many times in my own life where I visited someplace incredible that I’ve had this feeling, and I’m sure you have as well. But what if it isn’t something physical? I think about the past two years, how incredible it is that medical staff, nurses and doctors, have been able to work during the pandemic. It’s awe inspiring to think how many lives they have touched, how many people have been saved, how many family members have been comforted, how many emotions have passed through them as they work to support the lives of so many other people. What’s amazing is not the place, but the action.

Something similar is happening in the reading from Zechariah, where the prophet talks about Hebrews returning to Jerusalem from exile and that the city will be expansive with many nations and peoples joining.

What is most incredible, however, is God’s action in dwelling with the inhabitants. God being incarnate with God’s people – that leaves us speechless. The feeling of awe is described by Zechariah – “Be silent, all people, before the LORD.” That phrase is famously part of the inspiration behind the hymn Let all mortal flesh keep silence, which is a paraphrase of part of the Eucharistic Prayer from the Liturgy of St. James, used by the Orthodox Church for well over a millennia.

Be silent. What is our response to approaching and dwelling with God? Silence. Complete awe at being in the presence of God. This probably isn’t something we regularly experience. It’s those moments that are exceptional that leave us in awe. And yet during Advent we are reminded that this awe is a greater part of our lives than we might imagine, because as we spend these weeks preparing for the incarnation, we are reminded that it is not some distant thing in a far-away place. It is God’s action to be in the midst of us now, to meet us at Holy Communion on Sunday mornings, to guide us through the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. May the words of Zechariah and the hymns we sing echo in our minds this Advent as we recall God’s descending to earth in Christ, and may we find awe in this each day.

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Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand.

Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descending comes, our homage to demand.

DECEMBER 15

TIFFANY LAMOTTE

Director of Youth Ministry

Zech. 3:1-10 | Rev. 4:1-8 | Matt. 24:45-51 | Psalms 49, 53, 119:49-72 In the Gospel lesson for today we have the parable of the faithful servant. Throughout all the gospels, we have many parables told by Jesus to different audiences. These short stories were not factual stories, but lessons for us to learn from. This parable is about a slave who has been put in charge of the entire household. This includes the responsibility to give other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time. Jesus says, “Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.” That slave will be promoted to additional responsibility. On the other hand, Jesus observed, that if the slave begins to take too much power in the household that the master will come back at an unknown hour and punish him severely.

In a modern workplace context, the slave would be equivalent to a manager with a duty to the owners while managing other workers. The owners’ interests are met only when the workers’ needs are met. The manager has responsibilities to both those above and below him in authority. Jesus says that it is the servant leader’s duty to look to the needs of those under him as well as those above him. He cannot excuse himself for mistreating those under his authority by claiming it is somehow for the benefit of his superiors. He depicts this reality dramatically in the punishment meted out to the worker who cares only for his own interests.

I think this is an important lesson for each of us to remember, whether we are in a workplace or just in life.

Everyone is to be treated equally, no matter their status or who’s watching us. I have a friend who every time she encounters someone, whether a cashier at the grocery store or a waiter/waitress at a restaurant, she asks their name or reads their name from their nametag. She uses their name, looks them in the eye and makes them feel special in that moment. It is something that has stuck with me for many years because I had never thought to do that before. She doesn’t do it for people to applaud her and tell her how nice she is, she does it because she genuinely cares about that person and wants to make them feel special.

As we continue to prepare for Christmas, may we remember to treat every person we encounter with love and respect.

Happy Advent.

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DECEMBER 16

MADELYN IVY

Assistant Director to Children & Family Ministry

Zech. 4:1-14 | Rev. 4:9-5:5 | Matt. 25:1-13 | Psalms 33, 50, 59, 60 During Jesus’ final week before his crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples asked him to tell them about the events of the end times, when Jesus would finally bring about the redemption of God’s people. Jesus offered his disciples several cryptic descriptions, including pointing out that “that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36). Jesus spoke in parables to illustrate how the time of his return to earth would catch people by surprise; thus, emphasizing the need for constant “readiness” or “watchfulness” for his future return.

The parable of the ten bridesmaids is one of these parables, set on the eve of a wedding when the bridesmaids are waiting for the arrival of the groom. In biblical times, a bride and her bridesmaids would wait at the home of the bride’s parents for the groom and his entourage to arrive and escort the bride and her party to the site of the wedding. With all the preparations that had to be made, exactly when the groom would show up was difficult to predict; therefore, the bridesmaids would need to constantly be on alert for the groom’s arrival.

In the parable, only the wise bridesmaids have enough oil to keep their lamps burning. At first glance, it may seem like the wise bridesmaids are being selfish for refusing to share, purposefully excluding their fellow bridesmaids from joining the wedding party (hardly an appropriate example for Jesus’ followers to emulate).

However, one must remember the setting in which Jesus was telling this parable: he was describing what it would be like at the end of time when he returned to earth. John’s end times vision in the book of Revelation describes the “marriage supper of the Lamb” in which Jesus, the Lamb of God, is depicted as a groom and Jesus’ followers are depicted as his bride (Rev. 19:6-9). If one views Jesus as the groom in this parable, and the bridesmaids as representative of people, the wise bridesmaids can be seen as those people who have not only been anticipating Jesus’ return to earth but are actually prepared for it (whereas the foolish bridesmaids clearly are not).

But how does one “prepare” for Jesus’ return? While there are many possible ways to answer this question, Jesus himself may offer the simplest explanation: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). If we are truly “followers” of Jesus, then we must actually be doing what Jesus taught us to do. Being “ready” or “watching” for Jesus’ return means we are constantly and consistently showing our obedience to Jesus. Since no one but God the Father knows when Jesus will return, this parable encourages us to make sure that whenever Jesus does come back, he will find us prepared for him through our active love for God and for all those around us.

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DECEMBER 17

GREG PICKENS

Associate for Pastoral Care

Zech. 7:8-8:8 | Rev. 5:6-14 | Matt. 25:14-30 | Psalms 40, 51, 54 “The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear. They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Just as, when I called, they would not hear, so, when they called, I would not hear, says the Lord of hosts, and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known.

Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and a pleasant land was made desolate.

The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts? Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

Zechariah is a fascinating read. Written between the 5th and 6th centuries B.C.E., these prophecies are important reminders of how God works in the lives of believers.

Zechariah began writing just as the Israelites began to return from their long captivity in Babylon and began working to rebuild the Temple.

It may be hard for us to imagine the experience of the Israelites. To have the domicile of God destroyed by a conquering enemy and then seeing a large portion of the

country’s population relocated to a far off country. It must have felt like God had abandoned the whole nation. Then, Zechariah turns to the promises of God. That God will restore all that had been done to Israel and its people. Out of the little that remained, it is God who will bring back the nation and make Jerusalem the shining city of God that it once was in the old days. The highs and lows of our spiritual ancestors certainly are something we can relate to in our current time.

We all have been crushed at one time or another. No amount of popularity or possessions in this life keeps any of us from the ups and downs of day-to-day living – we wish it were not this way but experience tells us differently. However, believers have an amazing resource upon which to draw from as we cope with these times. It is the strength and grace that comes from our daily walk with the Lord. Even in the worst of times, we have the capacity and strength to lift our eyes and see the hand of God working – even in the dark.

This is exactly what Zechariah was writing about – a kingdom that had been through the utter destruction of an invading army and when all was sure to be lost – God’s mighty hand began to move again. Prophecies of joyful streets, the children of Israel returning to the city, and, most importantly, God declaring that he will be present to the people.

The last two years have been hard on the people of Saint Michael. Many of us have waited and prayed for better days, and for those who have been keeping a sharp eye for the movement of God, we have seen new life in our church and in our ministries. We have been waiting for God to do a new thing in our parish, and we have seen it. Already our worship services are showing new signs of life. Our ministries have been serving all through the pandemic, but now more are returning to meeting in person.

This feels very much like what Zechariah prophesied after so much hard news, and yet we believe there is still more good news coming. Our parish feels alive again, there is joy in our halls, our children have returned to worship, and we are gathering to hear the Word of the Lord in worship again.

No matter what comes our way, as a people of God, we have merely to wait upon the Lord and restoration will be ours.

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DECEMBER 18

NELL ANNE HUNT Acolyte

Zech. 8:9-17 | Rev. 6:1-17 | Matt. 25:31-46 | Psalms 55, 138, 139:1-23 Just a few days ago, I experienced a harrowing situation which I still cannot get out of my mind.

It was a typical evening. I went to my grandchild’s school performance in East Dallas. When I arrived, I realized I had left my cell phone at home. Suddenly I felt like a loser of a grandmother unable to take pictures at such an important event. Not to worry though, other family members stepped up with their phones and took pictures. I left the event about 9 pm, and it was very dark by that time. Instead of going the fast way down LBJ back to my casa in Irving, I decided I would take the leisurely way down Hillcrest to Northwest Highway. Not long after, the car started bumping along, and I wondered why I had never experienced bumpiness like that before on such a highly travelled road.

My life changed when the dashboard light illuminated the car with a warning of a tire blow out. I tried to make it to Northwest Highway where there was a 7-Eleven. But then I began to smell smoke and I knew I couldn’t make it any further. I turned into the nearest street and parked by the curb.

With no cell phone, it was not possible to summon help or call family. Looking around, I discovered I was parked on a block with beautiful Preston Hollow homes, decorated with Halloween yard decorations and children’s school signs. Many had cars parked in front. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking surely these people would be glad to help someone stranded.

I went up to the front door and pushed the doorbell. I could hear the television and see the lights illuminating inside. Yet, no one answered. I went to the next house and the next and the next. I didn’t receive even one response from the speaker on their RING doorbells. At the seventh home, a woman spoke from her doorbell and said she would call the police for me. I thanked her and said I appreciated it very much.

I sat on her front porch for what seemed an eternity. Feeling totally distraught but trying not to be judgmental, I thought to myself, “Would I be too scared to answer my door after dark?”

Finally, the woman’s husband appeared from the side of the house and said, “My wife really didn’t want me to do this, but what is going on here?” At that moment, I felt like I was encountering the Good Samaritan. Before long, he was in my trunk and getting my spare. Slowly but gradually the other men in the neighborhood emerged to help too. One of them apologized to me for not responding, explaining he had been robbed in his yard awhile back and was scared. And I readily admitted to myself, “I really don’t know if I would open my door after dark to a stranger…”

This experience brought to mind our Gospel lesson for today, when Jesus said to those who fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Jesus’ words ring in my ears when I consider my experience of being in need. What would I have done? What would you have done?

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4TH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

DECEMBER 19

HILTRUDE NUSSER-TELFER Priest Associate for Pastoral Care

Gen. 3:8-15 | Rev. 12:1-10 | John 3:16-21 | Psalms 8, 24, 29, 84 Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him, may not be lost but may have eternal life. As Archbishop Rowan Williams states in his book: A Ray of Darkness: “God so loved the world, not the church, not the Moral Majority, not the Department of Defense, not the campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, not Iran or Iraq, but the world. He condemns not the world, but the fantasies of self-righteousness that contribute to disunity in the world.” As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this coming Christmas, we are reminded that God does indeed love the world.

There is the story of Fiorello LaGuardia, the mayor during the Depression years. One bitterly cold night in January 1935, the mayor turned up at the night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening, and took over the bench for himself. A tattered old woman was brought before him and charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her son in law had deserted her daughter who was sick and her grandchildren were starving. LaGuardia sighed as he told the woman “I have to punish you. The law makes no exception. Pay $10 or spend 10 days in jail.” But as the mayor pronounced the sentence, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ten dollar note and remitted it as the fine. “Furthermore, said the mayor, I am fining everyone in this courtroom 50 cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant.” Forty seven dollars and fifty cents were turned over to the bewildered old lady with fifty cents of that amount being contributed to the red faced grocery store owner. In the end, the courtroom, consisting of petty criminals and New York City Policemen, gave the mayor a standing ovation.

I know from my own childhood what it is like living without bread and going hungry. Shortly after 1945, after we were forced to leave Austria and return to Germany, where we had no food to eat. I went out in the country and started to gather leftover wheat from a previously harvested wheat field. The farmer came and saw what I was doing and slapped me.

While living in Austria at the tender of age five, I experienced something completely different. I went to the farmers begging for milk and bread because my two younger brothers and I were hungry. One farmer asked if I could work. I said yes, and he had me clean out wooden barrels. When I was finished, he sent me home with milk, bread, AND bacon. In that moment, I experienced the love of God through his provision for my family.

God loves us all, especially in our time of need. That is the message of the gift of the Christ child for a people living in darkness and mired in sin. God loves the world, even us.

O Lord, Our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth. Amen.

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DECEMBER 20

CHRIS WILEY Adult Choir

Zeph. 3:14-20 | Titus 1:1-16 | Luke 1:1-25 | Psalms 61, 62, 112, 115 As Episcopalians, we thrive on the liturgical calendar and its masterful navigation of the seasons connecting all parts of Scripture. I confess that my usual written meditation objective is to discuss 2-3 of the daily selections highlighting their connections, but my ignorance of the passage from Luke’s Gospel excluded the inclusion of the others.

We are well aware of Elizabeth’s barren womb akin to Abraham’s wife Sarah. The familial connection of Elizabeth and Mary is well illustrated to connect John the Baptist and Christ Jesus even before their births.

My new “discovery” of these opening verses found me seeing alignment in the temporary, but stark sanction placed on Zechariah with the uncomfortable situation Joseph weighed with his betrothal to an expectant Virgin Mary. Put another way, Zechariah’s loss of speech is NOT very “New Testament”, and Joseph had to have felt similarly punished for no specific transgression of his own.

Gabriel is God’s messenger to both the parents of John and Jesus. Each audience, without warning, receives life-altering news specific enough to both name each of their sons and foretell the profound impact of their lives on God’s people. We do not know very much of Mary’s faithfulness before Gabriel’s visitation, but Luke’s account clearly praises Zechariah and Elizabeth for their righteousness before the Lord. God could have sent Gabriel to Zechariah at any time, but he specifically chooses a time both private and holy inside the temple.

The sanctity of the time and place might bolster the case for Gabriel’s indignation with Zechariah. While on temple duty, a priest should not have been surprised to encounter the Lord or his messengers.

The level of paradigm shift in God’s relationship to his beloved people ushered in by John’s and then Jesus’ ministries is one that we all struggle to distill and apply in our lives. Both men’s teachings are well recorded in the Gospels and further elaborated upon in the Letters of the New Testament. Thus, the persistent question that befuddles all believers, “How am I prepared or not for the radical invasion of God directly into my life?”

For me, I study, pray, sing in the choir, and look to build my children’s faith foundations, but am I equipped to have things really turned upside down in the blink of an eye? Each year Advent seeks to refocus us to improve our incomplete answer(s) – to hopefully not be rendered speechless.

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DECEMBER 21

MELANIE MCGILL Honduras Threads

1 Samuel 2:1b-10 | Titus 2:1-10 | Luke 1:26-38 | Psalms 66, 67, 116, 117 In these verses Luke tells us about “the Annunciation.” I love this story because it’s such a wonderful part of Christmas miracle and mystery! In the sixth month after announcing the miracle of Elizabeth’s pregnancy in her old age, Gabriel came to announce to Mary that she would bear the Son of God. It’s the beginning of “the Incarnation,” when God took on human nature in the form of Jesus Christ. God chose a seemingly insignificant person, a teenage girl, to bring forth the greatest gift to mankind.

Our Bible records numerous miraculous births, and I have never had a problem with “the virgin birth,” although it’s a sticking point here for some people. I choose not to worry about it. If God created the heavens and the earth, and all that’s in them, I figure he can handle a virgin birth. So, let’s get back to the story. I want to learn more about Mary. Who was she?”

Mary was a young woman from Nazareth, a small agricultural settlement in Galilee. She was most likely in her mid-teens, perhaps as young as twelve or thirteen, betrothed but not yet married. Being Elizabeth’s cousin, she was a descendent of David, and I assume she was from a devout Jewish family. When the angel Gabriel arrived, we know that Mary was frightened because he told her, “Don’t be afraid Mary …” When Gabriel told her that she would conceive, we know that she was confused, asking, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

Did she panic at the thought of it, since being pregnant and unmarried in that society would have been shameful. She would be ostracized. What would her family and others think? Would Joseph still want to marry her? Would she be able to bear the pain of childbirth? Would she die in childbirth? We’ll never really know what she was thinking or feeling, but no matter how nervous or anxious Mary might have been about her situation, she trusted God. She faced any fears bravely and had the courage to step out in faith and submit to God’s will, saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

This advent season I have much to ponder. Mary sets a good example for me, and I have much to learn from her in my personal walk with Christ – to be humble, to trust God in all circumstances, and to know that nothing will be impossible with God. Now, I wonder …

Will I bravely trust in God’s call, overcoming fears and embracing God’s mission in my life?

Will I follow faithfully, even going outside of my comfort zone, trusting that God has it all under control?

Someday, I hope that I too will be able to say, “Here am I, let it be with me according to your word.”

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DECEMBER 22

ANNA PACCONE

Altar Guild

2 Samuel 7:1-17 | Titus 2:11-3:8a | Luke 1:39-48a, 48b-56 | Psalms 72, 111, 113 In Luke’s Gospel we are told that as soon as Mary learns she is to be the mother of God she packs up and heads out into the countryside to visit her older cousin Elizabeth.

I am always amazed that a young unmarried pregnant woman in those times would have made such a journey alone.

In art and literature Mary is frequently portrayed as subservient, meek and mild. However, this passage in Luke shows her to be strong, independent and quite courageous.

The social conventions of the time would have ostracized both Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, unwed and pregnant and Elizabeth an older married woman who had produced no children. They would have been on the outskirts of society.

Considering this when attending evening prayer in Saint Michael chapel, reciting the Magnificat takes on a new depth. Next time you recite the Magnificat, say it slowly and listen as the words form. “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”.

Be like Mary.

Be courageous enough to listen to the Lord and act.

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DECEMBER 23

CAROL GOGLIA Vestry

2 Samuel 7:18-29 | Gal. 3:1-14 | Luke 1:57-66 | Psalms 80, 146, 147 Stars of God Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

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— Psalm 147: 1-5 Especially when we’re outside the city and can see even more of the Milky Way’s 100 billion stars, I think of Psalm 147. I think of the many people I’ve encountered throughout life and see their faces as stars twinkling in the night sky. I picture God quietly blessing each person in this world as his child and calling each of us by name.

My mind next goes to another star we’ve known in the Bible—the star over Bethlehem that led the Magi to Christ. While we don’t fully meditate on this shining image until Epiphany, you can start looking for those stars this Advent season—above the Nativities, at the top of Christmas trees, and in the seasonal décor. As you see each star, pause to reflect: How does God show you the way? What subtle signs nudge you in the direction of God’s will? What bright lights are highlighting your road forward?

As you look up to the heavens tonight ask yourself: — Have I treasured myself and my neighbors today like we were the special stars of God? — How am I reflecting the light of Christ in this dark world?

— Am I looking up to God to see the signs lighting a path for my life?

— Have I thanked God for both the darkness and the light?

Indeed, we can only see the stars when it is dark. Perhaps that is why there is hardship? Perhaps we need dark times to remind us to seek the light of Christ. Pause and meditate on that. What darkness has redirected you to dwell in the Holy Spirit?

Dear Heavenly Father: Help me treasure these last two days of this Advent season—looking for the light of Christ in each and every person I see, feeling your love as you call me by name and heeding the call of your shining stars lighting my way back to you.

Amen.

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CHRISTMAS EVE

DECEMBER 24

ARNOLD SPENCER Vestry

Baruch 4:36-5:9 | Gal. 3:23-4:7 | Matt. 1:18-25 | Isa. 59:15b-21 | Phil. 2:5-11 | Psalms 45, 46, 89:1-29 Christmas Eve. A night that brings excitement, anticipation, expectations. Tomorrow, with Christ’s birth, with God’s great gift to us, we will celebrate.

And yet, the selected Bible readings are not of great tiding and exuberant joy. At least not champagne corks and family feasts, not even shouts of glad tidings of Jerusalem’s triumph.

Rather, our readings recommend to us a quiet, soul-felt moment of embracing God’s will. We are reminded of humbly setting aside our expectations and agendas and accepting that which we know at our core, but are often afraid to fully acknowledge: God is great. And we are at our best, not when we are achieving our goals, but when we contribute to His. Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.” Is that part of my plan for tomorrow morning? I definitely expect a stocking full of goodies, and presents, and smiles, and hugs, and family. Will I plan to be still? Will I take time to acknowledge and reflect that God is God? I love the New Testament selection: Joseph’s story. We love the birth narrative, with the beautiful images and traditions of Madonna and the newborn. And these are beautiful, inspiring, holy images. These are miracles. But tonight, we read about Joseph’s story, a miraculous moment when a kind, gentle man quietly puts aside his interests, his reputation, his life. And instead, he accepts and embraces God’s will for him and his family. Surely he was looking forward to a traditional wedding, a beautiful bride, and a respectable albeit modest position in the Jewish community. But in a truly remarkable moment of faith, Joseph is still and knows that God is God. With his entire life plan upended, Joseph did exactly that which the angel of the Lord commanded. Without questioning God; without negotiating with God; without rationalizing why his will was a reasonable alternative to God’s will; Joseph embraced God’s will.

This Christmas season, especially this Christmas season, coming off a year in which I was forced out of many of my routines, I am grateful for the most basic and fundamental aspects of my life. Chief among them, I am grateful for the moments I embrace God’s will. My Christmas wish for each of us is that we have a Joseph moment, a quiet, soul-felt moment where we honestly and without reservation accept God’s will. That will be the merriest moment of the Christmas season.

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CHRISTMAS DAY

DECEMBER 25

CHRIS GIRATA Rector

Zechariah 2:10-13 | Psalms 2, 85, 110:1-7, 132 | 1 John 4:7-16 | John 3:31-36 “In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills… He shall judge between many peoples and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Micah 4:1, 3).”

Happy Christmas! We have arrived at this holy day, a day when we celebrate love in the most profound ways. Today, I hope you are with those you love—family and friends—and that you feel the presence of God filling you up.

On Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the fullness of God’s love for us. We know well the truth of our faith: “Let us love one another, because love is from God… God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him (1 John 4:7, 9).” In Jesus, God’s love for us becomes clear and complete, and we are invited into that love.

Love is a powerful idea, but love is so much more than a feeling. Love is an action. In the words of the prophet Micah above, we see the great objective of love to change our world in the most profound ways. The messiness of our world has been on full display this year and we can’t simply wish for it to be better. Instead, we are called to be the ones working for the good in tangible ways.

With everything happening in our world, the prophet’s vision of nations turning their weapons of destruction into the tools of growth is almost laughable. We are living in a time when leaders are incredibly effective at sowing doubt and promoting fear to motivate people. Even with the best of intentions, each of us has allowed fear to get the better of us, especially this year, which is why Christmas is so important.

This year—right now—we can make a good choice to let love in. Today, we can choose to let love guide who we are and how we act. We can begin to take action to build up ourselves and one another in the profound, transformative truth of God’s love, and in doing so, begin to change the world around us. We will never be able to do as much as we hope, but today, in celebration of the moment when love entered the world in fullness, let’s begin to be the change we wish to see.

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SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 8011 Douglas Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75225 | 214.363.5471

www.saintmichael.org @smaadallas