PREPARING FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY: LETTING STUFF GO
Bible readings
Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heaven and come down,so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down; the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name
or attempts to take hold of you,
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
the sun will be darkened,or attempts to take hold of you,
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
Mark 13:24-37
“But in those days, after that suffering,and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
“Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and
glory. Then he will send out the angels and gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
glory. Then he will send out the angels and gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
Advent liturgy
Thanks to the Revd Elaine Halls
Our Advent ring stands waiting,
for candle light to lead us on.
We’ll open up traditions,
with challenge and with change.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our box of decorations stands ready to be explored.
We reassess the treasures in this bulging cardboard box.
Let’s sort the treasure from the trash
the needed from the not.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our living is refocused with preparations underway.
Our ordinary and everyday
will be challenged along the way.
Letting go of stuff to do God’s will, is here to stay.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
In the mundane and ordinary,
stars will start to fall,
challenging and changing us
with holy goodness breaking through.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Advent God, as we light this, our first Advent candle
may we let go of what swamps us
and serves no purpose for us,
so that we can meet the challenges that lie ahead of us.
May our ordinary lives be enriched by your extraordinary love for us.
Amen.
Mary and Joseph experienced the turbulence of travelling for the census, the lack of accommodation, the threat from Herod.
for candle light to lead us on.
We’ll open up traditions,
with challenge and with change.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our box of decorations stands ready to be explored.
We reassess the treasures in this bulging cardboard box.
Let’s sort the treasure from the trash
the needed from the not.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our living is refocused with preparations underway.
Our ordinary and everyday
will be challenged along the way.
Letting go of stuff to do God’s will, is here to stay.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
In the mundane and ordinary,
stars will start to fall,
challenging and changing us
with holy goodness breaking through.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Advent God, as we light this, our first Advent candle
may we let go of what swamps us
and serves no purpose for us,
so that we can meet the challenges that lie ahead of us.
May our ordinary lives be enriched by your extraordinary love for us.
Amen.
Reflection
As we start to decorate our homes, we are likely to make a mess before we create something beautiful.Mary and Joseph experienced the turbulence of travelling for the census, the lack of accommodation, the threat from Herod.
We all face turmoil in our lives, in society, in nature. Throughout Scripture, God births new things in the midst of turmoil and turbulence. We need to let go of things that belong to the crumbling, old order and prepare to welcome the new.
What stuff do you need to let go of?
Low self esteem, worry, grudges, attachment to possessions, etc?Take a few moments to:
- Consider what might be a challenge at this time, or something you’d like to ask God to help you with. It might help to write it down.
- Think about people experiencing personal turmoil; for places in the world in turbulent situations.
- Give thanks that God is in the process of birthing new life in the midst of turbulence.
- Focus on the words of this lovely carol.