Above: An Ocean Storm
Image Source = Mila Zinkova
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Jeremiah 33:14-16 (New Revised Standard Version):
The days are surely coming,
says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ”The LORD is our righteousness.”
Psalm 25:1-9 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you;
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Let none who look to you be put to shame;
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 Show me your ways, O LORD,
and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love,
for they are from everlasting.
6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD.
7 Gracious and upright is the LORD;
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (New Jerusalem Bible):
How can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel before our God on your account? We are earnestly praying night and day to be able to see you face to face again and make up any shortcomings in your faith.
May God our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, make it easy for us to come to you. May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so conform your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.
Luke 21:25-31 (Revised English Bible):
[Jesus continued:]
Portents will appear in sun and moon and stars. On earth nations will stand helpless, not knowing which way to turn from the roar and surge of the sea. People will faint with terror at the thought of what is coming upon the world; for the celestial powers will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When all this begins to happen, stand upright and hold your heads high, because your liberation is near.
Jesus told them a parable:
Look at the fig tree, or at any other tree. As soon as it bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all this happening, you may know that the kingdom of God is near.
Truly I tell you: the present generation will live to see it all. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The Collect:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Advent is about what God has done, is doing, and will do. God–in the form of Jesus–became human and dwelt among us. God is present with us in the form of the Holy Spirit. And we have the promise of a return of Christ. Much of the New Testament reflects the unfulfilled expectation that he would return nearly 1,900 years ago. Many times since then predicted dates for the Second Coming have passed without Jesus making a repeat appearance. God’s timing is not ours. So be it.
We who call ourselves Christians bear the responsibility to be salt and light in the world, to leave our part of it better than we found it. We are at our best when we do that rather than slaughter each other over doctrinal disputes. So may we be the best salt and the brightest light we can be, so that, regardless of what God’s timing turns out to be, we
may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 3:13, The New Jerusalem Bible).
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 3, 2011 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JOHN OWEN SMITH, UNITED METHODIST BISHOP IN GEORGIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY IN ASIA
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Adapted from this post:
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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