Advent Connect 2018 (2025)

24/12/2018

Advent Week 4: Christmas Eve

“...proclaim the greatness of this day: the immaterial becomes incarnate, the Word is made flesh, the invisible makes itself seen, the intangible can be touched, the timeless has a beginning, the Son of God becomes the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, always the same, yesterday, today and forever...

This is the solemnity we are celebrating today: the arrival of God among us, so that we might go to God, or more precisely, return to him. So that stripping off the old humanity we might put on the new; as in Adam we are dead, so in Christ we might be made alive, be born with him, rise with him...A miracle, not of creation, but of recreation...For this feast is my perfecting, my returning to my former state, to the original Adam...

Revere the nativity which releases you from the chains of evil. Honor this tiny Bethlehem which restores Paradise to you. Venerate this crib; because of it you who were deprived of meaning are fed by the divine Meaning, the Divine Logos himself.” —Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 38, For Christmas

23/12/2018

Advent Week 4: Sunday

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
On those living in the land of darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

“That which was from the beginning,
Which we have heard,
Which we have seen with our eyes,
Which we have looked at and our eyes have touched—
This we proclaim concerning the Word of Life.
The life appeared;
We have seen it and testify to it,
And we proclaim to you the eternal life,
Which was with the Father and has appeared to us....
This is the message we heard from him and declare to you:
God is light;
In him there is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:1-3,5

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Augustine of Hippo wrote:
“In his light is found a light
That nothing can darken.
Desire that light which your eyes know not!”

22/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Saturday

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.... Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given...grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14, 16, 17

Grace, “charis” in Greek, means to bestow favor or express kindness as from a superior to an inferior. Somehow through Christ we have received grace, Gods abundant favor. God is not against us, but for us, as Paul writes in Romans. “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all —how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32

Grace is the expression of God’s love, which is without limit. “I pray that you...may have the power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” Ephesians 3:17-19

21/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Friday

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14

“The Word made himself ‘bearer of the flesh’ in order that human beings might become ‘bearers of the Spirit.’” Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation and Against the Arians.

“By means of Christ who is man, you proceed to Christ who is God. God is indeed beyond us. But he has become man. What was far from us has become, by the mediation of a man very near. He is the God in whom you dwell. He is the man by whom you must reach him. Christ is at once the way you must follow and the goal you must reach. He is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.” Augustine of Hippo, Sermons

20/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Thursday

“When they (magi) had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So, he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15

Matthew quotes the prophet Hosea, who said: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me.” Hosea 11:1-2

Is it not ironic that the Son of God was exiled to the land where his forefathers were enslaved? The contrast is that, although Israel was delivered from Egypt, they were never free, as Jesus said, “He who sins is a slave to sin.” Although the country of Israel was called, they did not heed the call. Whereas, Jesus did heed the call.

The Son of God entered into the land of slavery in order to deliver those enslaved. “How could humanity on earth, enslaved by death, recover its wholeness? It was necessary to give to dead flesh the ability to share in the life-giving power of God. Now the life-giving power of God is the Word, the only Son. He it was whom God sent to us as Savior and Liberator...He, though he is Life by nature, took a body subject to decay in order to destroy in it the power of death and transform it into life.” —Cyril of Alexandria, Homily on Luke

19/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Wednesday

“Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, [the Magi] returned to their own country by another route....When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” Matthew 2:12,16

How is it that the birth of the Savior Child results in the death of so many other children? There is an injustice here! Yet the tragedy is not the fault of the Coming One, but that of the powers that be who are threatened by the coming of another King. It is this kind of injustice and abuse the Child came to undo.

Jesus quoted Isaiah when he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19.

He proclaimed a new way of living, as he said to his disciples, “the rulers...lord it over them...Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to give his life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

18/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Tuesday

The magi, “on coming to the house, they saw the child and his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Isaiah previously prophesied that people would come to Israel “bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” Isaiah 60:6

Gold, the currency of kings; frankincense, the fragrance of worship; myrrh, the resin of death and healing. All are symbolic of the life of Jesus. He has been called King of Kings, High Priest, Great Healer, Suffering Servant and Crucified Savior.

Later, as Jesus was starting his ministry, he was tempted by power and riches, but resisted it. As Paul wrote, “though he was rich (in the heavenly realms), yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

17/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Monday

“Even in darkness light dawns....” Psalm 112:4

“...the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.” 1 John 2:8. NIV

“I have come into this world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46. NIV

“In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.... The true light that gives life to everyone was coming into the world.” John 1:4,9. NIV

It is impossible to escape the metaphors of light and darkness with the coming of Christ. St. Paul wrote that God “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” and “you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:8

The Star of Bethlehem, the Morning Star, is the light born into darkness that gives light to every heart.

16/12/2018

Advent Week 3: Sunday

“I am... the Bright Morning Star.” Rev. 22:2

“Magi came from the east to Jerusalem, and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose...’”. Matthew 2:2

Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Balaam said, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob....” Numbers 24:17

Solomon asked, “Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?” Song of Songs 6:10

Referring to the ancient prophecies, Peter answers the question: “...pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19

The star the wise men sought was not in the celestial skies, but within their hearts. “The sun that shines there (in the soul) is the light of the Trinity. The air breathed by the entering thoughts is the Holy Spirit the Comforter....Their life, their joy, the cause for celebration is Christ the light of the Father’s light. Such a person rejoices every hour in the contemplation of his soul, and marvels at the beauty that appears, a hundred times brighter than the brightness of the sun...That is the kingdom of God hidden within us....” Isaac of Nineveh Ascetic Treatises

Morning star, rise within us...

15/12/2018

Advent Week 2: Saturday

“All who heard...were amazed...and Mary treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:18-19.

The mystery of the incarnation is not something which can be grasped with the mind, but rather grasps the heart.

“The incarnation is ‘a mystery even more inconceivable than any other. By taking flesh God makes himself understood only by appearing more incomprehensible.” Maximus the Confessor, Ambigua

“By the love of Christ for us...the Superessential gave up his mystery, and manifested himself by assuming humanity. However, in spite of this manifestation...he loses nothing of his mysteriousness. For the mystery of Jesus has remained hidden. No reason and no intelligence have fathomed his essential nature. In whatever way he is understood, he remains utterly mysterious.” Dionysius the Areopagite, Letter 3, To Gaius

Ponder the mystery in your heart...

14/12/2018

Advent Week 2: Friday

To the shepherds the angels proclaimed, “On earth peace, good will towards men.” Luke 2:14. KJV

Isaiah prophesied, “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:7

The advent of Christ is the beginning of a new government, but not as most supposed. “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36. “The kingdom of God,” which Jesus preached, “is within.” Luke 17:21. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.... I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.” John 14:27, 16:33

Paul ends his letter to the Romans with “The God of peace be with you all.” Romans 15:33. Peace is the nature of God and peace is what Christ came to give.

13/12/2018

Advent Week 2: Thursday

“For to us a child is born.... And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV

”There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11. NIV

”Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14 NIV

The angels proclaimed Good News. So good that it will bring great joy to all the people. What is this news? A Savior has been born. The Messiah, the Anointed, the Chosen One, the Lord.

Days later, they encountered Simeon, a righteous and devout man, whom upon seeing Jesus praised God declaring, “My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32. NIV

My eyes have seen your salvation...a light...your glory.

Advent Connect 2018

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