The Fourth Sunday in Advent: Love

Lectionary readings for the fourth Sunday in Advent:



  • Micah 5:2-5a  •  
  • Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7  •  
  • Hebrews 10:5-10  • 
  • Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)


    • The final Sunday in advent is when the candle of love is lit and I am reminded of one of my favorite Christmas anthems, "One Small Child" By Nancy Price and Donald Besig.  The anthem is simple and beautiful and ends with the phrase:  "Share the joy that comes this night in the love of one small child."  It captures in  my mind the image of a tiny babe swaddled and blissfully sleeping in a manger; surrounded by his radiant parents and peaceful barn animals.

    But how honest is that?  Traveling a long distance on a donkey and giving birth in a stable...it's messy; it's smelly.  It's not perfect.  But it IS love. 

     Throw out the idealized "love" of the season and realize that love is complicated and not like a beautifully wrapped present all tied up with a perfect red bow.  Love is expressed by swaddling a tiny baby that is screaming.  Love is expressed by caring for those who can't care for themselves.  As it says in 1 Corinthians: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

     God loves us and God is patient with us.  As imperfect humans, the best way we can reflect God's love is by patiently loving.  By not looking for the perfect, but by embracing the imperfect with love.

     Being true to Christmas means loving those who are not always lovable; caring for those who are not cared for.  Love was born in a stable; to celebrate the birth of this child of God, shouldn't we love and care for those who are most like him in whatever way we can?  It's not easy, but it IS love.

     Let the love of God shine in your heart and reflect it back out to the world. 


    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Not Guilty

    Image
    The last time I blogged (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/where-do-i-go.html ), this song from "Hair" was going through my head.  Today the above tune, written by George Harrison in 1968, but not officially appearing until George's 1979 solo album "George Harrison" (wonder how he came up with that title) has been running around in my head.  "Not guilty For getting in your way While you're trying to steal the day. Not guilty And I'm not here for the rest, I'm not trying to steal your vest. I am not trying to be smart, I only want what I can get. I'm really sorry for your aging head. But like you heard me said: Not guilty." Doesn't really apply to me...or maybe it does. When I last wrote it was a question of where do I go?  The answer was with my boys on a 5 day/4 night vacation to the Poconos.  (You probably know where if you've read my blog over the years.)  And we had a good time all things considered.  (Read the pr
    Read more

    Please Don't Ask Me...

    Image
     ...about the house.  (For clarity:  I am talking about the house that my parents lived in at the Jersey Shore.)  I realize that you mean well.  (Or at least most of you do...if you've read  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/not-guilty.html  you know who I mean.) My mom died a year ago Sunday.  My dad died last Saturday.  I am NOT focused on the house right now.  I am working on organizing a memorial down at the shore later this month.  (Which is turning out to be a lot more complicated than I thought it would be and SHOULD be.)  I am thinking about the graveside service that is scheduled for tomorrow morning.  I planning for the people that might come back to our house afterwards.  (Have no idea how many; so I've ordered some food and have some beverages and think I have enough.  I probably have too much, but that's how I roll.)  I am fielding phone calls and messages from friends and relatives, which I appreciate (if you're reading this Amanda, Linda, Pat
    Read more

    Lowe's LIES

    Image
    Note:   before you start reading this blog post go back and read my  previous post . It will give you some important information about the BS that I have been dealing with when it comes to getting a new refrigerator and  Lowe's .  First off, let me say if you are my friend or if you are my enemy (I don't have any do I?), if I know you or if I don't know you, let me give you this advice.  NEVER  order an appliance from  Lowe's . Let me say that again  NEVER EVER  ever order an appliance from  Lowe's .  After the debacle that  Lowe's  created on Friday the 16th of June, I reordered the same refrigerator to be delivered to the shore address on Saturday June 17th. I was told that the refrigerator that they could not deliver because they had the wrong town had to be returned and I would be credited. As of this writing that hasn't happened; as of this writing there are two refrigerators with processing charges on my credit card.  However I am ever hopeful an
    Read more