A Meditation and Collect for Epiphany 2

Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1: 1-9

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of* Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 1: 29-42

John saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

A Meditation for Advent 4 – Love

Matthew 1: 18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

A Meditation for the second Sunday in Advent

provided by Reverend Barbara Irrgang-Buckley

One who is more powerful than I is coming after me…
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Advent Collect

Old Testament Reading from Isaiah 11: 1-10

Romans 15: 4-13

Gospel Reading from Matthew 3: 1-12

By tradition, the two great figures of Advent are the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist. Both feature in today’s readings, both point to the coming of Jesus. No less important a figure is St Paul. This year, we hear from his letter to the Romans on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays of Advent. The second reading acts as a kind of bridge between the prophet Isaiah and the figure of John the Baptist.

The primary reason for the letter to the Romans is given in the opening line of the second paragraph of today’s reading (in the NRSV version):
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)

In a word, all is grace, all is gift. The human differences we only too often create are precisely that: human differences. But in the light of all we have received from Christ, they simply lose their significance. And this is highly relevant in the world of today.

The concluding sentence gives in the briefest format the theology of the entire letter:

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. (Romans 15:8-9)

It is all in there in one sentence. We might often ignore the significance of this truth for our lives.

And we continue to reflect in our prayers

God our Father, in Isaiah, you promise us the gifts of wisdom, courage and the fear of the Lord. Let us recall when we needed those gifts in the past and let us be aware that we need your gifts anew. And give us the ability to receive these your gifts with gratefulness.

Your prophet paints an idyllic scene of nature in harmony and antagonisms reconciled. Looking at this picture let us recognize the disharmonies, the frictions, the cracks and the brokenness in the world around us and in our own lives. Give us the courage to reconcile and to repair where we find unfinished business in our relationships.

Loving God, you hold out to us the hope of reconciliation and new life. In this
time of Advent, open our hearts to receive your gifts of wisdom and courage
and so lead us more deeply into your own life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

John the Baptist came to bear witness to Jesus. Give us an awareness and gratefulness for people who have been the people who have witnessed to us the good news of the gospel that God loves us— maybe this was a friend, a parent, a teacher, a colleague or a neighbour. Were we open to receive the good news brought to us?
And we ask ourselves to whom have we borne that witness? Have we left opportunities to witness unused?

John appears in the story as one who had the courage to be himself in the face of opposition. He was also a person who knew his own value, did not make exaggerated claims and was content with his mission.
Let us ponder and recall times when we have been content to be ourselves, without pretending to be more than we are. But also, not less.
Let us be thankful for and give us the hearts to grow moments of having that freedom, even in the face of criticism from others.

John was “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness”—announcing confidently to those in the wilderness that they must not despair because God’s grace may come to them at any moment.
We reflect on times when we experienced being in the wilderness, feeling lost. From whom did we hear a voice that gave us hope? And have we been able to give hope to other people when they were in the wilderness?

Your kingdom is at hand, O God of justice and peace; you made John the Baptist its herald to announce the coming of your Christ, who baptises with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Give us a spirit of repentance to make us worthy of the kingdom. Let complacency yield to conviction, that in our day justice will flourish and conflict give way to the peace you bestow in Christ.

We ask this through him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near:
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord, you gave us your scripture. Let us remember when Scripture has brought us endurance, encouragement and hope.

We are to welcome one another just as Christ has welcomed us. This is not always easy. Where does this challenge us?

We recognize that we require your grace and mercy to transform ourselves in the way you are calling us through your scripture.

By your grace we have the gift of the Scriptures. With the help your grace, may we listen deeply to what you want to say to each one of us. May we know your gifts of endurance, encouragement and hope, so that not only our lips but also our lives may be a song in praise of your mercy.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Previous Posts

A Meditation for Advent Sunday

Romans 13: 11-14

Matthew 24:36-44

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him”

I came upon the following essay explaining the significance of the Themes and Candles we light during the Advent Season. Rather than paraphrase it, I am in linking it here in full. It comes from a very well produced website 
Best Bible Resources For Christians | Christian.net