nottoomuch Advent 2019 : 23 December

Saturday 23 December 2023

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.
(cf Isaiah 7.14)

Arvo Pärt. Seiben Magnificat Antiphonen (1988 / 1991). Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, dir. Tönu Kaljuste.
7. "O Immanuel, unser König und Lehrer, du Hoffnung und Heiland der Völker: O komm, eile und schaffe uns Hilfe, du unser Herr und unser Gott."

John

Daniel Bonnel. His name is John.

Malachi 3:1-4

1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.* 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalm 25.3-10

3 Show me your ways, O Lord:
   and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in the ways of your truth, and teach me:
   for you are the God of my salvation.
5 In you have I hoped all the day long:
   because of your goodness, O Lord.
6 Call to mind your compassion and your loving-kindness:
   for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:
   but according to your mercy think on me.
8 Good and upright is the Lord:
   therefore will he direct sinners in the way.
9 The meek he will guide in the path of justice:
   and teach the humble his ways.

Luke 1:57-66

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Those Left Outside
Polly Castor, 2016

Into this crazy world,
where not every one
has a place in the inn
the Christ arrives
without invitation
unsolicited in the flurry
of preparations and festivities,
preoccupations and distractions,
but those left outside notice
the commotion of wings
the celestial song
and the signaling star.
They are the ones
who follow, kneel,
and welcome Him in.

Blessèd are you, Sovereign God,
our light and our salvation,
eternal Creator of day and night,
to you be glory and praise for ever!
As we look for your coming in glory,
wash away our transgressions,
cleanse us by your refining fire
and make us temples of your Holy Spirit.

By the light of Christ,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
and make us ready to enter your kingdom,
where songs of praise for ever sound,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessèd be God for ever!
— Celebrating Common Prayer

The Piano Guys. Steven Sharp Nelson: cello; Jon Schmidt: piano. Come, O come, Emmanuel.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.