Liturgy

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will
toward humankind.

In the angel’s gentle greeting,
teach us to hear your love.

In Mary’s glad obedience,
teach us to follow your light.

In your lowly birth and lodging,
teach us to embrace your humility.

In the worship of poor shepherds,
teach us to give our attention.

We light the fourth Advent candle
that all people may know and find
their unity at Bethlehem.

We pray, in the name
of God our Maker,
Jesus, born among us,
and the Holy Spirit, new life within us.
Amen.
(Catherine Cleary)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the Gospel of Luke 1:30-38.

30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God. 31 And now,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you will name him Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the
Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will
give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and
of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said
to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born
will be holy; he will be called Son of God.

36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age
has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month
for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will
be impossible with God.”

38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the
Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Good News of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 12.20.20 Mary and the Incarnation

Where in your life does love tend to get overlooked in your life?

What memory of Christmas sticks out to you as loving and intimate? How did love grow in your life to help make such a beautiful moment come into being?

Benediction

When the angel told her the good news,
Mary responded, How can this be?
The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you
And the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Lord God, send us out into the world
to experience the peace and joy
that come from losing ourselves
in the shadow of your love.

We pray this in the name
of God the Father,
Jesus the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, our Breath of Life.
Amen.

Merry Christmas, Vox!
May you find safety and rest this week.
(Catherine Cleary)

[Photo by Sabine Küchenmeister]