Advent: Joy!

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This is the story of the birth of Jesus foretold.

An angel of the Lord came to Mary of Galilee, 

a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, 

and the angel said to her, 

"Greetings, you who are highly favored!

The Lord is with you."

He told her, "Don't be afraid, for you have found favor with God.

You will become pregnant and you'll give birth to a son, whom you will name Jesus."

The joy of God through the birth of Christ!

The angel of the Lord said to Mary,

"You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, whom you will call Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, 

and he will reign forever.  His kingdom will never end."

"How can this be?" Mary asked, "since I am a virgin?"

"The Holy Spirit will come to you," he replied,

"and the power of the Most High God will overshadow you,

so that this holy one to be born may be called the Son of God.

Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age.

She who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

For nothing is impossible with God."

Mary answered, 

"May it be to me as you have said,

for I am the Lord's servant."

The joy of God through the birth of Christ!

"Even Elizabeth.. who was said to be barren,

is going to have a child in her old age.

For nothing is impossible with God."

And so Mary went to Elizabeth, her relative,

and when she greeted her, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leapt,

and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

She shouted, "Blessed are you among women!

And blessed is the child that you will bear!!

How is it that I am so favored, 

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For as soon as the sound of your voice reached my ears, 

the baby in my womb leapt for joy!

Blessed are you, Mary, for you have believed 

that what the Lord has said to you will be accomplished!"

After hearing this, Mary praised God. 

She said, "My soul glorifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!"

For nothing is impossible with God.

The joy of God through the birth of Christ!

My soul glorifies the Lord (for nothing is impossible with God)

My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.. (for he has not forgotten me)

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me.

Elizabeth has said, "Who am I that God would be mindful of me?

Why am I so favored that the Lord would come to me?"

Even Zion has said, "The Lord has forsaken me,

the Lord has forgotten me."

Who am I that the Lord would come to me?

But God has said to us,

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?

And have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget, I will not forget you.

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are ever before me!"

And so we light the candle of hope, because the birth of Christ is coming.
We light the candle of peace, and we rest in God's wholeness, because the advent of Christ is near.

And now today, we also light the candle of joy, because the Lord has not forgotten us.

The birth of Christ is coming!  

The joy of God through the birth of Christ!

Even Zion has said, "The Lord has forsaken me,

the Lord has forgotten me."

Who am I that the Lord would come to me?"

But God has said to us,

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?

And have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget, I will not forget you.

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are ever before me!"

"Shout for joy, O heavens; 

rejoice, O earth;

burst into song, O mountains!

For the Lord comforts his people

and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Oh Lord, that we would see your face, that we would hear your voice..

That our hearts would leap for joy, even at the sound of the voice of your bride.

All the earth is waiting for your Advent, for your coming.

We wait for you, and we will gladly search for your kingdom, as it comes in fullness.  

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