Sunday, December 22, 2019

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Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sunday vigil service. All the candles are lit in the advent wreath. Except for the decorations, it’s just an average Saturday evening service in the suburbs. The church is packed–young and old, black, white, Hispanic, Indian, Asian, infirm and able-bodied, from all walks of life, and every continent. Blessed be the Lord!

In the Advent season as we pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ our attention is focused on the Virgin Mary who will bring the babe into the world.

Scripture Readings
Isaiah 7:10-14, Psalm 24, Romans 1-7, Matthew 1:18-24

Spiritual Reading
Venerable Bede on the Magnificat in Luke’s Gospel

Music

O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ & ‘Come Thou Long Expected Jesus‘ from The Petersens

Art

Mary Undoer of Knots by Daniel Mitsui

In the second century, church father, St. Irenaeus said, “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by the obedience of Mary; what the virgin Eve bound by her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith.”

The Baroque painting, Mary, Undoer of Knots by Johann Georg Schmidtner has a nice story about marriage fidelity behind it.

Poetry

‘Advent Calendar‘ by Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams