Greetings!
Thank you for continuing to journey with us through the season of Advent. You are now journeying together with members of over 60 different congregations in multiple dioceses and over 350 people in all. As we come together in reflection and prayer, we join our voices in praise as we await the joyful coming.
Christian Formation Commission
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Scripture
"Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you, yourself know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."
1Thessalonians 5:1-11
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There is a very great difference between darkness and light. In darkness, there is no ability to see where one is going and to choose the right path. In darkness, we can be persuaded to do things which in the light of day we clearly know are wrong. Jesus is, quite literally, the light of our lives. Saint Paul is telling the Thessalonians, and us, that we should walk with Jesus in the light and not be persuaded to fall into darkness. We should remain awake and vigilant against the forces of night which would steer us from the path of salvation; we should put on the armor of our faith and go valiantly with Christ in the way of righteousness. And we should take every opportunity to encourage each other with the light of our faith in Jesus, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will know that the light of Christ is with us. There is a children's song which expresses this in the simplest possible way; " I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light".
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Prayer
Dear Lord:
I want to walk as a child of the Light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear sun of righteousness, shine on my path and show me the way to the Father. Amen.
adapted from 1982 Hymnal; p. 490
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