This week in our Advent journey we turn our attention to the Gospel of Luke. But before you begin today’s reflection maybe just pause, turn your attention to God and pray the prayer below:

God, according to your mercy,
we ask that the dawn from on high
would break upon us today.
We ask that you would give light
to all those who abide in darkness
and who live their lives under the shadow of death.
Amen

Daily Scripture: Luke 2:21-40

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

Advent Promises

In 2:25 Luke describes the old man Simeon as someone who was looking for the consolation of Israel (2:25). This word, ‘consolation’ can be translated as ‘comfort’ and is a term that is heavy with prophetic promise. For example, all the scriptures below are taken from the book of Isaiah and they all include this word. Together they paint a picture of the restoration that Simeon longed for.

Have a read of theses passages and maybe reflect on Simeon’s reaction in light of what he saw in Jesus:
Isaiah 40:1-5, 51:3, 52:7-10

Advent Poem: Joy To The World

It may seem naive, in a world of grief,
to choose to live in joy;
It may seem foolish, in a world where
solemnity is power,
to sing and dance to a different tune;
It may seem cruel, in a world of
suffering and injustice,
to speak of light and celebration.

But you have come, Jesus,
to bring joy into our grief,
light into our darkness,
singing into our mourning;
and it is an act of
healing and proclamation
to believe and
embrace the joy you offer.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Hallelujah! Amen.

| John Van De Laar

Advent Song: Joy To The World

Closing Benediction

Be people of hope.
Let hope live in your heart and share the hope of Christ with all you meet.
Share hope by noticing someone else’s humanity.
Share hope by listening to someone’s story.
Share hope by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share hope.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share hope with those you meet.

| Rev. Susannah DeBenedetto

No Evening Zoom Reflection Tonight!

As it is Friday there will be no evening reflection over Zoom tonight but we look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

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!