Fourth Sunday of Advent

Love

 

 

Mary's Song

Magnificat

 

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

46And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the LORD,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. 

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

[And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. 

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation. 

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly; 

he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty. 

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy, 

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."]

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

 

Visitation

PONTORMO 

(Jacopo Carucci, usually known as Jacopo da Pontormo, Jacopo Pontormo, or simply Pontormo)

1528-1530

San Michele e San Francesco

Carmignano, Tuscany

Italy

 

Pontormo was an Italian Mannerist Painter and portraitist from the Florentine School.  His work represents a profound stylistic shift from the calm perspectival regularity that characterized the art of the Florentine Renaissance.  He is famous for his use of twining poses, coupled with ambiguous perspective; his figures often seem to float in an uncertain environment, unhammpered by the forces of gravity.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmignano_Visitation

 

Interesting (and long) lecture on the Visitation painting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq1azLoVhoQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most important thing in life

is to learn how to give out love,

and to let it come in.

~ Morrie Schwartz

 

 

Christmas itself is by grace … it could

never have survived otherwise.

~ Frederick Buechner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merit Helman-Funk

Merit is Swedish and we celebrated Santa Lucia Day with her.

She lost her husband, Donald, not long ago.

 

A toast to Merit

 

It is very different without Donald in his chair on the right.

 

 

 

I am pretending to be wearing candles.

 

Calendar • Solvang CA • CivicEngage

Santa Lucia Day

in Sweden

 

 

Lots of elk growing babies out there!

 

Laura Mehmert and I had lunch at Parkside on Tuesday.

 

Book Club at Ginny’s!

Jeanne Canny, Betty Astle, Lena Beauchamp, Ginny Boschen

 

Merry Christmas lunch at Bonefish.

Carolyn Alexander, Sondra Kellogg, Kimra Perkins

 

Christmas cheer with Kate McCord and her daughter, Jennifer Volmer.

Jennifer and her husband live across the street.

 

Kate McCord and Sandy Fields have recently moved into our condos.

They are right next door to each other.

 

Tom Newsom and his wife were our speakers at Rotary.

Tom and I are both members of our Tuesday Breakfast Club.

(We have met only once since Covid started.)

 

Tom has painted more than 100 Santas.

 

Anne Vickstrom brought tasty goodies to JAK and me!

 

 

 

 

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

(verses 6 and 7)

 

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said; 
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; 
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow *

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 12, 2021 - Third Sunday of Advent - Year C

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

 

*  The history behind Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HesL7K7jFbM

 

The poem, written in 1863 during the Civil War, was first set to music in 1872; more recently, Johnny Marks melody was composed in 1956.  Listen to Bing Crosby’s musical version using only verses 1, 2, 6, and 7:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMmRkimMBOE

 

      Ed Herrman with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Longfellow's Christmas:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfzp296zhA

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

A Little Piece of Heaven (condensed)

by Max Lucado


How great is God's love? How can the creator of the universe care about the twists and turns of your life's journey? Ponder this thought:

...Why did He do it? Did he have to give the birds a song and the mountains a peak? Was he required to put stripes on the zebra and a hump on the camel? Would we have known the difference had he made the sunsets grey instead of orange? Why do stars have twinkles and waves snowy crests? Why dash the cardinal in red and drape the beluga whale in white? Why wrap creation in such splendor? Why go to such trouble to give such gifts?

Why do you? You do the same. I've seen you searching for a gift. I've seen you stalking the malls and walking the aisles. I'm not talking about the obligatory gifts....I'm talking about that extra-special person and that extra-special gift. Why do you do it? You do it so the eyes will pop. You do it so the heart will stop. You do it so the jaw will drop. You do it to hear those words of disbelief? "You did this for me?"

That's why you do it. And that's why God did it. Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

I'm about to tell you something you may find hard to believe. You're about to hear an opinion that may stretch your imagination. You don't have to agree with me, but I would like you to consider it with me. You don't have to buy it, but at least think about it. Here it is: If you were the only person on earth, the earth would look exactly the same. The Himalayas would still have their drama and the Caribbean would still have its charm. The sun would still nestle behind the Rockies in the evening and spray light on the desert in the mornings. If you were the sole pilgrim on this globe, God would not diminish its beauty one degree.

Because He did it all for you...and He's waiting for you to discover His gift. He's waiting for you to stumble into the den, rub the sleep from your eyes, and see the bright red bike he assembled, just for you. He's waiting for your eyes to pop and your heart to stop. He's waiting for the moment between the dropping of the jaw and the leap of the heart. For in that silence he leans forward and whispers: I did it just for you.

Find such love hard to believe? That's okay. Just because we can't imagine God's giving us sunsets, don't think God doesn't do it. God's thoughts are higher than ours. God's ways are greater than ours. And sometimes, out of His great wisdom, our Father in heaven gives us a piece of heaven just to show He cares.

 

http://hopingandpraying.blogspot.com/2006/12/little-piece-of-heaven.html

 

 

 

 

And the angel said unto them, 
"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. 
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 
which is Christ the Lord."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"God bless us, every one!" said Tiny Tim. 

- Charles Dickens 

 

                                                       

 

 

Advent 4: 

Micah 5:2-5a; 

Luke 1:46b-55 OR Psalm 80:1-7; 

Hebrews 10:5-10; 

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) 24/25 

 

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day: 

Isaiah 9:2-7;Psalm 96; 

Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14, (15-20) 26 

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; 

Psalm 148; 

Colossians 3:12-17;

Luke 2:41-52 

 

 

Summary

On the last Sunday of Advent, the story goes back to Mary. Luke’s special focus on women includes Elizabeth in the story which gives us the immortal story of John leaping in her womb (a detail that could only have been related by the experience of an expectant mother). Luke also points out that Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. Like John witnesses Jesus, Elizabeth witnesses Mary: “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” When Gabriel tells Zechariah that God would accomplish the unlikely and that they would conceive a son even in advanced age, he doubts. But Mary, confronted with the news that God would achieve the impossible in her, believes. This great faith is the basis of all the church’s teaching on Mary. By imitating her, we too can invite the Lord to do even the impossible through us. 

https://www.preachingtoday.com/lectionary/

 

First Reading Micah 5:2-5a

2But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

.

3Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

4And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth;

5aand he shall be the one of peace.

Canticle Luke 1:46b-55

46bMy soul magnifies the LORD,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. 

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Psalm 80:1-7

1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph like a flock!

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth

2before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.

Stir up your might,

and come to save us!

3Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

4O LORD God of hosts,

how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?

5You have fed them with the bread of tears,

and given them tears to drink in full measure.

6You make us the scorn of our neighbors;

our enemies laugh among themselves.

7Restore us, O God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Second Reading Hebrews 10:5-10

5Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body you have prepared for me;

6in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure."

7Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'

(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."

8When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), 9then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

46And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the LORD,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. 

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."