offering

We welcome Your Arrival

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
The Birth of Christ, Albrecht Altdorfer c.1513, wikimedia commons
 
Night has fallen; the clear, bright stars are sparkling in the cold air; 
    noisy, strident voices rise to my ear from the city, 
    voices of the revelers of this world who celebrate with merrymaking 
        the poverty of their Savior. 
Around me in their rooms my companions are asleep, 
    and I am still wakeful, thinking of the mystery of Bethlehem.

Come, come, Jesus, I await you. . . .

I am a poor shepherd; 
I have only a wretched stable, a small manger, some wisps of straw. 
I offer all these to you, be pleased to come into my poor hovel. 
I offer you my heart; 
    my soul is poor and bare of virtues, 
    the straws of so many imperfections will prick you and make you weep
    –but oh, my Lord, what can you expect?
This little is all I have. . . . 
I have nothing better to offer you, Jesus, 
    honor my soul with your presence, adorn it with your graces. 
Burn this straw and change it into a soft couch for your most holy body.

Jesus, I am here waiting for your coming. 
Wicked men have driven you out, and the wind is like ice. 
I am a poor man, but I will warm you as well as I can. 
At least be pleased that I wish to welcome you warmly, 
    to love you and sacrifice myself for you.

Amen.

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 1881–1963 also Pope John XXIII
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Luke 2:4-7

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, 
    to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
  because he was of the house and lineage of David, 
    to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 
And she gave birth to her firstborn son 
    and wrapped him in swaddling cloths 
    and laid him in a manger, 
  because there was no place for them in the inn.
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What is one sacrifice you can make to welcome Jesus anew this Christmas?

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Shine brightly, star of God

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
image / Stern von Betlehem / wikimedia commons
 
Shine brightly,
star of God,
and guide our wandering world
to where a prince of Peace is born.
 
Where children wish upon a star
or wise men scan the universe in hope
let your bright beams
surround their dreams
and guide their hesitating feet
to where a miracle is born.
 
Enable each of us
to make a New Year’s journey
leaving behind the prejudices and fears
of yester-year,
embracing a fresh openness
by which we welcome all world pilgrims
whose journeys end in worship and humility.
 
Be a sign today
of mercy and of love
like a rainbow in spring
or the bright summer sun,
and show us how our lives
can include the forgotten and forlorn,
    the grieving and the hurt.
 
And we will offer
to our God
now seen and touched in straw-filled bed 
the best gifts in the world:
our joy, our grief, our life.
 
David Jenkins, minister in the United Reformed Church UK
 
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When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

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to follow you on the road to Jerusalem

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Walking the Jesus Train /  Zeromancer44, CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
 
Servant Christ,
Help us to follow you on the road to Jerusalem,
    to set our faces firmly against friendly suggestions
    for a safe, expedient life;
    to embrace boldly the way of self-offering,
The way of life given for other’s gain.

Litany of the Disciples of Christ the Servant Andhra Theological College, India
 
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Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 
“We are going up to Jerusalem, 
    and everything that is written by the prophets 
    about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 
He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. 
They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 
    they will flog him and kill him. 
On the third day he will rise again.”
 

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