Pew Sheet, Sunday, 22nd December 2024, The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday in Advent on the cusp of our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations; and as usual, this brings us to the agency which Christ’s Mother Mary plays not only in the Christmas story, but God’s plan for the redemption of all creation which had been planned before the beginning of all time, and will finally be brought to fruition at its passing at the end of the age. The Christmas story which we will dwell upon, enact, and sing about in these next few days is the culmination of all that God promises in the scriptures to achieve on our behalf, so that we, like the Psalmist can say, ‘this is from the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes’ (Psalm 118:23).
I always think it a shame that Psalm 118 does not figure in any of our readings for the Christmas period because for me, it encapsulates everything which we will see and think about as we come to the crib and consider the importance of Christ’s incarnation for our lives, our world, and for all of creation over the Christmas period. Do take some time to read and dwell upon this wonderful Psalm in the next few days, and ‘give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; and his loving kindness endures forever’ as its final verse reminds us.
If the Christmas story tells us anything, it is that God in all his wisdom does something utterly amazing by choosing to work through the individual agency of specific people to bring this plan to fruition, so that mere human beings play a vital part in the affairs of the world, its history, and ultimately its entire future. God’s plan for the redemption of all things is effectively and purposely realised through the auspices of just a few people who, by being obedient to God and trusting in his purposes, change the whole course of human history and much, much more. Mary, chosen for her undoubted obedience to God’s word, accepts without complaint the message which the angel brings her, and Joseph too, hears and obeys God’s instruction not to put her aside quietly on receiving news that she is pregnant, as he had originally decided in his heart to do. We often overlook Joseph’s role in the Christmas story even as today, we think about the incredible faith of Mary in her role as the ‘Theotokos’ or ‘God
Bearer’, but he plays a crucial role not only in protecting Mary from the scorn and retribution of religious zealots who would undoubtedly have stoned her to death for adultery had she not been under his protection; but in protecting the newborn Jesus from Herod’s cavalry as they swept through Bethlehem killing every infant they could find on his orders, such was his determination not to have another King in Judaea while he lived. Spare a thought for him amidst the celebrations, as it must have been hard playing ‘second fiddle’ to another, though unseen Father, who was infinitely more important to Jesus even as he learned the craft of woodworking at his adoptive-father’s side!
It is to Mary however, that we turn today, and in our Gospel passage we see that she is not only a God-fearing young woman, but a prophetess in her own right who has an incredible knowledge of the Jewish scriptures and can recite from memory those scriptures which foretell her own role within the promises of God, and just so that there can be no doubt, we have the wonderful piece of information which Luke, the consummate historian, must have gleaned from her own lips, that her cousin’s as yet unborn child leapt for joy in the womb at the proximity of his likewise as yet, unborn saviour, and Elizabeth too, from the same god-fearing priestly family as Mary, knows full-well that the time for the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy has come, abolishing the old covenant based on the Law, shame, and punishment; and ushering in a new covenant of mercy and of peace, as both Mary, and the writer to the Hebrews reassure us in today’s readings, giving us manifold cause if ever we needed it, to celebrate and rejoice in God’s loving kindness which is indeed, marvellous in our eyes!
Collect
Eternal God, as Mary waited for the birth of your Son, so we wait for his coming in glory; bring us through the birth pangs of this present age to see, with her, our great salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Micah 5:2-5a
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labour has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace.
If the Assyrians come into our land
and tread upon our soil,
we will raise against them seven shepherds
and eight installed as rulers.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
(in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’
When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Luke 1:39-45
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’]
Post Communion Prayer
O Heavenly Father, who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of the promised saviour: fill us your servants with your grace, that in all things we may embrace your holy will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Tonight:
6.00pm Nine Lessons and Carols, at both St Laurence and St James’.
Tuesday 24th December
3.00pm Candlelit Nativity Service with Christingles, St Laurence.
4.30pm Candlelit Nativity Service with Christingles, St James’.
11.00pm Benefice Midnight Mass, at St Laurence.
Wednesday 25th December
09.30am Christmas Day Celebration, St Laurence.
11.00am Christmas Day Celebration, St James’.
There will be no pew sheet next week as Steve is away until the 4th of January.