Fourth Sunday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
God’s Promise to David.After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you:
--
16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
Luke 1:46-55
Mary’s Song“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, 4 ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’”
19 Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people. 20 I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. 21 My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. 22 The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. 24 My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. 25 I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. 26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’
Romans 16:25-27
25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Luke 1:26-38
The Birth of Jesus Foretold26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Chris, Christmas, and Christ
by Jasmine Duckworth
Jasmine Duckworth has been serving with Karis Disability Services (formerly Christian Horizons) since 2004 and has been disabled herself since 2015. As part of her role as Community Development Manager, she often speaks with churches and community groups about disability, accessibility, and ableism. She works closely with self-advocates as they work to improve their own lives, the developmental services sector, and the broader community. She is a mum, wife, and obsessive knitter.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my saviour;
my God will hear me.
Micah 7:7
Last week, I had a dream. In my dream, I was working in one of the many homes where Karis Disability Services supports people with developmental disabilities. That’s how I started working in this field, but it has been many years since I have worked in direct support. In this dream, we were short-staffed and I needed to work a double shift. I felt tired already, knowing that such a long work day ahead of me. But as I walked into their home and greeted the men who lived there, I recognized Chris. I knew Chris in real life, many years ago, and I had worked in his home, so it wasn’t surprising that I was also supporting him in my dream. Chris died several years ago, so I was delighted to see him in my dream world. Suddenly the long day ahead of me was a treat rather than a chore.
Chris was the most “Christmas” person I’ve known. He didn’t speak with very many words, but all year long he clearly communicated that Christmas was on his mind. He would say “ho-ho” and use his hand to mime a long beard. He would then hold his hands out wide with the question on his face, “When will Santa come?” This happened frequently. The answer was usually (especially in summertime) “not for a while.” Chris’ response was always the same; a slap to the thigh, a dramatic sigh, and full-body disappointment.
One day in November, I experienced Chris’ anticipation in full. We had arrived at a local mall. Walking in the door, at the end of a very long hallway we could see Santa’s giant decorative red chair set up in the centre of the atrium. Chris exclaimed “ho-ho!” and took off running toward Santa’s throne. I sprinted, trying to keep up with him, while I urged his housemates to follow along. We reached the throne only to realize it was empty. A sign explained that Santa would be arriving in a couple weeks, after the annual parade. Chris was so heartbroken that we turned around and headed straight home, not even taking time to shop.
Chris often wore his Santa hat and frequently spoke about Christmas, throughout the entire year. His waiting and eager anticipation were so active that it made Christmas present even in its absence.
Advent is like this. Our collective, intentional, active waiting brings Christ present even as we wait. Advent feels special because of this anticipation. I wonder, might we find ways to bring this spirit of expectation into the rest of our year? Do we watch for Christ to show up in our lives in ways that are not Christmas? Do we only remember Jesus as a baby in a manger, celebrated on one day a year, or do we seek to always recognize the living presence of Christ connecting us to God and to each other?
In The Universal Christ, Richard Rohr says “Long before Jesus’s personal incarnation, Christ was deeply embedded in all things – in all things!” and Rohr urges us to become attuned to Christ’s continued presence in all things. Scripture tells us that Christ, or “the Word”, was present at creation and so Rohr points out that this means Christ has been, is, and ever will be, present among us.
We daringly believe that God’s presence was poured into a single human being, so that humanity and divinity can be seen to be operating as one in him – and therefore in us! But instead of saying that God came into the world through Jesus, maybe it would be better to say that Jesus came out of an already Christ-soaked world.[1]
I woke up, smiling, from my dream about Chris. He brought so much joy into the world with his life. Even now, after his death, his memory does the same. As I went about my morning, I thanked God for this beautiful surprise He had given me. What a gift it had been to share a day with Chris, again.
As we celebrate Christmas, may we open our hearts to the presence of Christ in a new way. We await more than a baby’s birthday. May we eagerly anticipate, all year long, Christ’s presence in our days and nights – even in our dreams.
[1] Rohr, Richard, The Universal Christ, (New York: Penguin Random House, 2019), 15.
Thank you for reading the New Leaf Advent Reader, a collection of reflections from writers across Canada. If you are enjoying the reader, sign up to receive the readings in your inbox each day here: SIGN UP
And please share this reflection with your friends and family who might also enjoy it.
