Wednesday, December 16, 2020 … An Advent of Joy

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward (all the earth).” ~~~ Luke 2:13-14

I always loved the angels in our church tableau every Christmas Eve. My brother was the angel Gabriel and he looked so handsome up there on the highest step, for all to see. The angels seemed so beautiful and majestic, a precursor to the birth of the baby Jesus. What a glorious message and witnessed by the most humble of men, so that we could believe it was for all of us.

As a little girl, I felt this was the grandest story, a special night to hear a story of love and glory, the birth of a king, who would bring peace on earth. We forget the message, when we have commercialized the Christmas season, but I remember the awesome feeling of magic and spirit of that night. It is still the most beautiful message and I feel the angels around us think so, too!

Prayer for Advent Joy (adapted from Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): God of the season, help me to slow down enough to listen for the way Emmanuel is revealed in my life. Amen.

Sarah L., United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz