Welcome to our 2021 Advent Journey! This year we are making our way toward Christmas by exploring the four Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, but with a twist. This third week is not just about JOY but Joy(ful) Repentance, but before you jump in to today’s reflection, just take a moment, breathe slowly, and pray the following prayer as truthfully and earnestly as you can.

Lord,
source of all true joy,
You promised that at your appearing,
the pain of your absence will be replaced with joy,.
That when we see you again our hearts will rejoice,
and no one will be able to take away our joy.
And so we wait in hope.
Amen

Daily Scripture: 1 John 4:12

Find the above scripture in your bible and read slowly – you might want to read it out loud. You can also find it here.

Reflection

In this, our final verse on this Advent journey, we begin with the idea that God is invisible, but this is then followed by hints that there are ways that he can be made known. John says that if we respond to God’s love for us with the same kind of love for one another then God will live in us and his love will be perfected, fulfilled, or made complete, in us. Through our love for one another the love of God is made known to the world and would be the defining feature of a disciple of Jesus (John 13:35).

In this passage we are once again reminded that it is impossible to love God and not love his people. Through what Jesus has done for us, we are not just reconciled to God and called to love him, we are also reconciled to our brothers and sisters in Christ and are called to love them in the same way. The New Testament knows nothing of an individual faith and spirituality that is not deeply embedded into the life of the church. To be saved is to be adopted into a new family where we lay down our lives for one another in love.

Advent Quotes

‘The command to love is not a demand for forced intimacy or shallow sentimentality. It is a command to meet the needs of others when we encounter them. To act with redemptive love toward others means to forgive those who need our forgiveness, just as God forgave us in Christ. It means to spend our time and money (i.e., lay down our lives) meeting the needs of others. In certain rare and extreme instances, it may mean actually giving our lives so that others may live.’

|Karen Jobes

‘The surest way to determine whether one possesses the love of God is to see whether he or she loves his or her neighbor. These two loves are never separated. Rest assured, the more you progress in love of neighbor the more your love of God will increase.’

| St Theresa of Avila

‘Love! if thy destined sacrifice am I,
Come, slay thy victim, and prepare thy fires;
Plunged in thy depths of mercy, let me die
The death which every soul that lives desires!’

| William Cowper

Closing Benediction

Be people of joy.
Let joy live in your heart and share the joy of Christ with all you meet.
Share joy by seeing the good in each other.
Share joy by remembering good times and hoping for good times to come.
Share joy by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share joy.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations,
share joy, peace, and hope with those you meet.
Amen.

| Liturgy Link

ZOOM REFLECTIONS

No Zoom reflection tonight – HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS!

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts and reflections and so please do leave a comment in the section at the bottom of this page. Much love to you all on this Advent journey!