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 LOVE but Love(ing) Solidarity, 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.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
All your ways flow forth from love,
for you do not just act in love but are love itself.
We remember that from this love, Love incarnate came,
and calls us to reach up and outwards in love.
Amen
Daily Scripture: 1 John 4:9
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 today’s verse, John begins with the phrase, ‘in this is love’, or as other translations say, ‘here is love’ or ‘love consists in this’, which suggests that he is further defining what he means by love. He first makes it clear that ‘love’ is not first and foremost to be understood or defined from the human side of the equation, I.e. in our love for God, but in and through his prior love for us.
This verse also further clarifies what it meant to send his Son into the world by saying that he was sent to be ‘the atoning sacrifice for our sins’. The meaning of the Greek word translated here as ‘atoning sacrifice’ has been vigorously debated but there seem to be two main themes present here: the first is that of being cleansed from the impurity of our sin, and the second is that of God’s righteous anger being turned away. God’s love both purifies and pacifies.
Based on what John has been telling us so far, try writing your own definition of ‘love’.
Advent Quotes
‘God is love. Everything we know about him teaches us that, and every encounter we have with him expresses it. God’s love for us is deep and all-embracing, but it is not the warmhearted sentimentality that often goes by the name of love today. The love God has for us is like the love of a shepherd for his sheep, as the Bible often reminds us. Sometimes the shepherd can guide his sheep simply by speaking to them and, ideally, that is all that should be needed. But sheep are often slow to respond, and then the shepherd has to nudge them along with his staff. Sometimes he has to grapple with them forcibly and insist that they follow him when they would rather go their own erratic way. But however hard it is for the shepherd to keep his flocks in order, he never abandons them.’
| Gerald Bray
‘If, then, by asking why we are bound to love God, we mean, what is His claim, the answer is: Especially this, that He first loved us’.
| Bernard of Clairvaux
‘Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky’
| From the Hymn, ‘The Love of God’
Advent Song: Born to Die
They never knew a dark night
Always had the Son’s light on their face
Perfect in glory, broken by the story
Of untold grace, come that day
Majesty had come down, glory had succumbed now
To flesh and bone
In the arms of a manger, in the hands of strangers
That could not know, just who they hold
And the angels filled the sky
All of heaven wondered why
Why their King would choose to be
Be a baby born to die
And all fell silent for the cry of an infant
The voice of God
Was dividing history for those with eyes to see
The Son would shine from earth that night
And the angels filled the sky
All of heaven wondered why
Why their King would choose to be
Be a baby born to die, be a baby born to die
To break the chains of guilt and sin
To find us here, to pull us in
So we can join in heaven’s song
And with one voice around the throne
All the angels filled the sky
And I can’t help but wonder why
Why this King would choose to be
Be a baby born for me, be a baby born
Be a baby born to die
| Bebo Norman
Closing Benediction
Be people of love.
Let love live in your heart and share the love of Christ with all you meet.
Share love by loving those you see regularly.
Start by loving your community.
Share love by loving those you do not know.
Share love by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share love.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations,
share love, 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!