Advent – December 19, 2023

December 19, 2023

The Seventeenth Day of Advent

There are so few days left in this sacred season of the year.  And now, when I allow myself to be still, I go.  I go back to that time, just before the birth.  My thoughts are of those who were willing to listen to The Holy Spirit within, willing to follow the guidance of angels, willing to risk that which they knew, to say yes, and take the hand of that which was new.  I think of Mary.  I think of Joseph.  I think of Mary’s family.  Mostly, now, at this time of year, as I do today, I hold in wonder that which they were willing to do, as they were guided by angels, out of the mundane, into the divine.   

          On this seventeenth day of Advent, 2023, the reading I have chosen is from Luke 1:26-31.

The Reading

December 19, 2023

“26 In the sixth month the angel ^xGabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named ^yNazareth, 27 ^zto a virgin betrothed¹ to a man whose name was Joseph, ^aof the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, ^bO favored one, ^cthe Lord is with you!”² 29 But ^dshe was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for ^eyou have found favor with God. 31 And behold, ^fyou will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and ^gyou shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of ^hthe Most High. And the Lord God ⁱwill give to him the throne of ^jhis father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob ^kforever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”³

35 And the angel answered her, ^l“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of ^hthe Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born⁴ will be called ^mholy—ⁿthe Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her ^owho was called barren. 37 For ^pnothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant⁵ of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And ^qthe angel departed from her.”  Luke 1:26-38