Reminders for the Remainder of This Week:

Opportunities for spiritual growth are starting…

Advent Bible Studies via Zoom: Wednesdays Dec.3, 10 & 17, 7-8:30pm. Please join us to rediscover the hope of the early church that fueled their passion. Please email me for the Zoom invitation: susan.montague2@gmail.com

Advent Bible Studies In-Person: The first in-person study is special. It will be a “Quiet Evening” of learning and reflection followed by supper together and then the scripture study. It will be 4-6:30pm on Thursday, Dec.4 at the Trinity Centre. Lasagne for supper. Please tell me if you’re coming so that I have enough food. The next two in-person studies will be Dec.11 & 18, 4-5pm, in the Trinity Centre.

$5 Stew Dinner (homemade biscuit & dessert too), Friday, December 5, 5:30pm in the Trinity Centre. Eat-in or take-out. Please pre-order so that I make enough stew!

Leafs/Habs Watch Party! Come and enjoy munchies and fellowship, 7pm in the Trinity Centre. The Leafs clobbered the Penguins the other night…

A Liturgical Note For You:      Colours and Prayers of Advent

Blue? Purple? Why has the colour changed for Advent? Our liturgical colours carry the same meanings as the colours used in traditional icon writing so here is an explanation of the colours of Advent with that in mind…

Purple is the colour of royalty, which was most commonly used in the Byzantine religious icons. It is intended to show the glory of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.  It is not surprising, then, that in our seasons of waiting for our King – and for our King to “open the kingdom of heaven to all believers” (Te Deum), the traditional colour we see is purple.  It has come to represent, therefore, waiting and preparation – especially with penitential self-reflection during these times.

Dark-blue and blue: In icon writing, these colours indicate the infiniteness of the sky and, therefore indicate an everlasting world. Blue is also used to indicate humanity. This is, therefore, an appropriate choice to mark our time of waiting for the King who is both fully human and fully divine. Dark blue was considered the colour of the Mother of God who combines in her self both the terrestrial and celestial. The backgrounds of mural paintings in many Byzantine churches dedicated to the Mother of God are filled with a celestial dark blue. 

Which colour to use? Many Anglican churches have increasingly chosen to use blue during Advent simply to be different from Lent when we emphasize the penitential aspect of that season’s time of waiting. In terms of historical use, the medieval church in England mostly used violet/blue during Advent and unbleached linen during Lent. Both blue and violet are appropriate and accepted choices for Advent so it really depends on your local tradition. We talked about this last week when discussing the colour of the candles. You’ll want to be sure the linens and the candles match. If your church only has purple linens, you wouldn’t use blue candles. The important thing to remember is that, during Advent, we mark with joy the coming of Christ in his Incarnation and, even more, we anticipate with hope his return bringing the fullness of God’s kingdom on earth as in heaven. 

Speaking of the fullness of the kingdom on earth, this is what we pray for in our Prayers of the People each week. We stand in solidarity with each other in allegiance to God and God’s kingdom, to express our longing for all creation to step into God’s kingdom life with us, revealing its fullness in doing so. Using the Advent litany, p.119 of the Book of Alternative Services, helps us in this endeavour. How so? They are the ancient “O Antiphons” in use since the 700’s. They are called “O Antiphons” since they all begin with “O” (O Wisdom, O Key of David, etc.).  They are the refrains that were sung at the beginning and ending of the Magnificat during Evening Prayer, starting on Dec.17, and they are drenched in Scripture – especially the names and saving actions of our God.  For this reason, they are integral to our understanding of Advent and, therefore, to our ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ. 

How would you best use them during the liturgy?  Since most of us pray the various cycles of prayer during our Prayers of the People, these cycles would be inserted at the beginning of the litany, much like the biddings in the BCP. For example:

Let us pray for the Church of God throughout the world especially…

Let us pray for the members of the Body of Christ in our diocese and in our parish family, holding before God…

And let us pray in joyful expectation to our Saviour and Redeemer saying…(from here you would continue the litany as written in the BAS).  

For Your Devotions:

Monday, December 8th is the memorial of The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day we acknowledge the conception of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Why do we place so much importance on her conception? Here is what the Roman Catholic diocese of Wichita writes on their website: “We do not believe that Mary is a goddess, or even super-human. The Blessed Virgin Mary is simply human. She is what each human person is called to be: “holy and blameless in God’s sight, full of love.” That’s how St. Gabriel salutes Mary in the Gospel: “Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” God’s grace is a share in His divine love.” This day is very important to us because it is a day on which God chose to act with humanity to further God’s purpose of salvation for all.  If you want to read more about what Anglicans think about Mary, you can go here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Marian_theology

Tuesday, December 9^th is the memorial of the Prophets of the Old Testament. These men and women were called by God and filled with the Holy Spirit to speak the message of God to the people. Many were persecuted and killed because that message wasn’t always welcome. Jeremiah, for example, was kept as a prisoner at the bottom of a well. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews provides more detail (speaking of the heroes and prophets of Israel): “…who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground” (Heb.11:33-38). For us, Christ is the final and complete Word of God…”In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2a).  If you’d like to read more about the prophets, check this out…   https://catholicexchange.com/crazy-prophets-old-testament

In the hope of Christ,

Susan