Advent Reflections: Third Sunday of Advent

The Collect

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lessons

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
 

The Meditation

The Gospel lesson for The Third Sunday of Advent sheds light onto the old adage, "know thyself and know thy God."

John rolls through a series of denials in response to those sent to question him. He says, "I'm not the Messiah, I'm not Elijah, I'm not the prophet." John knows who he is not. In this knowledge there is freedom from false illusions of self. He is not the Savior.

 John is a voice, one crying out, a way-maker for the Lord. He testifies, "among you stands one whom you do not know." John's work is to make this "one" known. He is a witness to the Savior.

 As we seek to live in response to God's gracious initiative in our lives, we are invited to discover a renewed identity and purpose. A central aspect of the Christian spiritual life is to go deeper into knowledge of the "self" and of God. A part of this work is to know who we are not, and who we are.

 Through the Incarnation we encounter ourselves as God's "Beloved" - those who are the object and aim of God's relentless self-giving redemptive love. By receiving and growing in this love, we are compelled onward to share this love with others.

 Like John, we know we are not the Savior. That burden is not ours to shoulder. We are invited into the freedom of that knowledge and to live as witnesses to the Savior. We are called to know "thy God" and to make the love of that God known.

 What is the crying at the Jordan?

Who hears, O God, the prophecy?

Dark is the season, dark our hearts

and shut to mystery.

Now comes the day of salvation,

In joy and terror the Word is born!

God gives himself into our lives;

O let salvation dawn!

         - verses 1 and 4, Hymn #69, 1982 Hymnal