Monday December 19 Advent 4
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Psalm 61
I was burdened and God became my strength—be with me always.
Psalm 62
In face of evil, we trust in God to be our solid foundation.
Isaiah 11: 1-9 What’s Isaiah about?
When the Assyrians deported and enslaved the Israelites the royal family was executed, and thus God’s promise seemed to have failed—God had promised David that there would always be a descendent to reign. But Isaiah has seen branches growing out of stumps and he imagines King David’s father, Jesse, being a cut-down stump from which a new king will arise. Isaiah imagines that new king will bring full justice to the people and fulfillment to nature, thus restoring God’s original creation. God will return all the Israelites from wherever they have been scattered.
Seven hundred years later, early Christians, such as Paul, applied this passage to Jesus. As we approach Christmas, we are also to grow in expectation of that the restoration of all things to their original fulfillment will be happening in our time.
John 5: 30-47 What’s John about?
Jesus has been attacked for healing a blind man on the Sabbath, thus doing work on the day of rest. Jesus claims that he is only doing God’s will, i.e. that God desires the work of healing to happen even on the day of rest, and that it is God’s power, not his own, doing these healings. Since his critics were impressed by the light they saw in John the Baptist, who claimed God’s coming victory over the oppressive Roman empire, they ought to see even greater light in Jesus. But they don’t, because they don’t know God’s character. Even Moses understood him, Jesus claims, but if his critics don’t believe Moses, they won’t believe Jesus.
Jesus’ birth challenges us all to live in the light of God’s self-offering love instead of avoiding it, as did Jesus’ critics.
This week’s collect:
Heavenly Father,
who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace,
to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour,
now fill us with your grace,
that we in all things may embrace your will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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