Advent 4 God is With You
In God's eye's every human being is unique and uniquely loved; not just a somebody; not just a nameless face among the 'everybodies.' God's desire for relationship with us, his presence within us as an invitation to that relationship, confers upon our humanity a great dignity. We have been created in an extravagant gesture of unbelievable love; we have been created for love.
Members of the Body of Christ, we are called us into a new and radical way of understanding and of living that love. Like Mary, we are asked to bring the Christ within us to others. It is a very new and different kind of life because we are challenged to believe that the Risen Christ, though his Holy Spirit shared with us at baptism, is working in us and loving through us. And we are challenged to live, like Jesus, lives of compassion, of generosity and faithfulness.
We are challenged also to embrace lives of joy, joyful in the knowledge that our life is made new because it is imbued with God's meaning, God's purpose, awash with God's love. Christ is within you, offering you new life in relationship with him; working through you to bring God's life - God's love - to others. Blessed are you
(First prayer is taken from Sunday THINK-DO-PRAY suggestions for the week)
Loving God You live in us and love in us. This is a tremendous gift to our humanity. Help us to grow in appreciation your amazing presence within us.
Lord Hear Us
Loving God Help us to treat others with a recognition that you live within them. Let us treat everyone we meet this week, especially the members of our own families, with the dignity and the respect that they deserve.
Lord Hear Us
Loving God Help us to go out of our way, as Mary did with Elizabeth, to quietly offer our company or assistance to someone this week. We think now of one specific way in which we can be of service . . . . pause . . . . . and ask for your help to follow through on our good intentions
Lord Hear Us