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Bishop Mark's Christmas Message
December 23, 2015
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During this Advent I have been reading a series of meditations by Thomas Merton. I have been praying over the ways that our affection for each other as brothers and sisters in this great diocese can grow and bear greater fruit for our Gospel mission. What are the ways that we can begin to see Christ in each other and in each other's communities of faith scattered across Southwestern Virginia? I came across the following excerpt from The Sign of Jonas. I believe it offers some spiritual insight to this question. I offer it to all of you as a gift for Christmastide as we enter into another year of prayer and missional work as the body of Christ:
"It is beautiful to see God's grace working in people. The most beautiful thing about it is to see how the desires of the soul, inspired by God, so fit in and harmonize with grace that holy things seem
natural to the soul, seem to be part of its very self. That is what God wants to create in us--that marvelous spontaneity in which His life becomes perfectly ours and our life His, and it seems inborn in us to act as His children, and to have His light shining out of our eyes."
Gracious and merciful God, you who opened the doors of heaven to those who had been lost in sin, invest your creation with the knowledge that you alone can give life, life eternal. You became one of us so that we might be saved. We do nothing to earn your love; it is a love you give without conditions. Grant that we may open a space with ourselves where you can reside. We ask this in the name of your Son, the newborn Prince of Peace, Christ our Lord. AMEN.
● Sunday Visitations: On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, I worshipped with the people of St. John's, Lynchburg.
● Pastoral Concerns: The Rev. Jim Lively has a painful case of the shingles and his wife, Tracy, has had some ongoing back issues. Please add the Lively family to your prayers.
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Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
1002 1st Street SW ~ Roanoke, VA 24016
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