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: Acts 26:12-20
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
As mentioned in yesterday’s reflection, the truthfulness of the inward turning of our hearts and minds back toward a loving God in repentance is demonstrated by the actual changes that we make to our lives. This is what the Bible calls ‘bearing the fruits of repentance’ or ‘doing deeds consistent with repentance’.
In today’s passage we first read of Paul’s encounter with Jesus that caused him to repent and transform his own life (26:12-15), before he then describes how Jesus commissioned him to preach the gospel ‘so that people may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God’ (26:16-18). Paul is faithful to this call and preaches that people should ‘repent and turn to God’ and that they should ‘do deeds consistent with repentance’ (26:20).
What kinds of deeds do you think might be consistent with repentance?
If you remember an earlier reflection you may well hear echoes from the preaching and call of John the Baptist for the people to ‘repent’ and to ‘bear fruits worthy of repentance’ (Luke 3:3,8). Have another look at this passage and see what kinds of fruits John expected.
If you have time, why not have a look at the following passages from the Old Testament that show that John and Paul were not making this stuff up but were simply continuing to preach the same kind of message as those who had gone before them. The passages are:
- Isaiah 5:1-7
- Jeremiah 2:21-22
- Ezekiel 19:10-14
Advent Quotes
‘[Luke] brings the reader back to that which is consistent and universal about repemtance … that is that repentance always secures the forgiveness of sins (no matter what the sins) and that repentance is always accompanied by the manifestation of deeds/fruits that attest to one’s repentance.’
| Guy Nave Jr
‘Virtue is learned through practice; practices require habits and patterns directed toward what we ought to do; what we ought to do is a product of who we are; and who we are is rooted in the sources, or stories, that inform our lives.”
| Corbin Reuschling
Advent Song: My Truest Praise
My heart you wring
And press and flame
I know this grief
You know my ways
My knees I drop
My head you raise
Repentance be my truest praise
Repentance be my truest praise
More than a word heard clearly
More than a truth felt deeply
More than a song sung sweetly
As a crowd sings with me
Repentance be my truest praise
Repentance be my truest praise
Showmanship And smiling face
Costume that I wear for praise
Would you cover my disgrace?
Repentance be my truest praise
Repentance be my truest praise
More than a word heard clearly
More than a truth felt deeply
More than a song sung sweetly
As a crowd sings with me
Repentance be my truest praise
Repentance be my truest praise
| Isaac Wardell & Paul Zach
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
Zoom Reflections Monday – Thursday evenings at 9 – 9:20pm
Click here to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86970491613
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!