Advent
December 24, 2018

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-55

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 1:46-55

It is Christmas Eve and my time usage has caught up to me as I write this on the day it must be posted. I needed to read what is now called the Magnificat today. The world is too much with [me]. I notice I quote these words of William Wordsworth often. It helps to synthesize all the assaults of the principalities and powers into one as I hand them to God who in the final analysis, according to this poem, has ultimate control over all that is so disconcerting. What always puzzles me is what I deem assaults on God’s way, others interpret as God’s will. How do we reconcile such division?

I find myself more and more in times of meditation desiring just to sit in the presence of Christ as it brings me comfort. I have an interesting struggle with my own trinity which actually has four, not three parts. You may experience me stumbling around in these writings as I pick the right one to represent what I am trying to say. God the Creator, the omnipotent one, who is love and the very source of love is one. Jesus, God in human form, setting examples, showing the way is another. The Holy Spirit is my guide and advocate. Christ to me is the all-powerful one full of Grace and truth. I guess I am in great need at this time in my life for the comfort of such power as exemplified in the Magnificat.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your enduring presence and your assurance provided in ancient manuscripts that you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and you are stronger than all those principalities and powers. Amen.