Stir up your power, O Lord, and come! In times of peace and plenty we often respond to this week’s apocalyptic readings with surprise and fear, but these days the idea of God tearing open the heavens and coming down may seem like a pretty good deal! We are an advent people, awaiting that time when the two kingdoms, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, will be made one. Our knowledge and hope for this time frees us to serve our neighbors with acts of service and lovingkindness.
Readings
Isaiah 64:1-9
Prayer that God would come with power and compassion
Psalm 80:1-7,17-19
Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gifts of grace sustain those who wait for the end
Mark 13:24-37
The sudden coming of the Son of Man
Worship Music
In worship this week we highlight how we are an Advent people caught in a cycle of waiting for the Lord. We sing of the transformative power of Jesus’ coming with the hymn “My Lord, What a Morning.” Trumpets sound, sinners cry, Christians shout, and stars fall in the morning in this hymn about the end times. Despite these worrying images, we also express our joy at Christ’s coming when we sing “Rejoice, rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear; the evening is advancing, and darker night is near.” We are always holding these two ideas in tension and this week our music draws us to this place.
Reflection Questions
In our reading from Isaiah this week, God is likened to a potter and us the clay. Where and how is God forming you? How is God forming the community of St. Peter’s?
How does the appointed Psalm for the day link to the Isaiah reading? What words jump out at you in this song asking for help for the community?
