Friday 13 December 2024

Today is Friday the 13th of December, the feast of Saint Lucy, in the 2nd week of Advent. Eliza King sings ‘Receive Him’. How will you receive Christ this Christmas? In rumours of old, whispers from the heavens Prophets foretold, of signs and seasons One who would come, through the line of David A Bethlehem King, of whom angels would sing Would we recognise God If He came without gold, without riches and Spent His first night on earth With the wanderers and wise men and shepherds? Born unto men, and born the King of angels Let us come adore Him, in the starlit manger His name shall be great, and His kingdom evеrlasting Find the Ancient of Days, in the еyes of this babe Would we recognise God If He lay in the hay like a poor man, with No appearance of might Nor beauty or rank or importance? Would we recognise God As a foreigner seeking asylum, who Had to flee in the night Without any place to reside in? I will receive Him, this King of heaven Prepare Him room within my soul, oh oh Love's revelation The King of glory come in humble form Emmanuel is born I will receive Him, this King of heaven Prepare Him room within my soul, oh oh Love's revelation The King of glory come in humble form Emmanuel is born Would you recognise God As He played on the knee of a virgin? Learned to speak, learned to walk Divine but in every way human Would you recognise God If He came and He carried your burden? Lived a man on the earth So that every man might come to know Him Would you know Him then? Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 11:16-19 ‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’ John the Baptist came to call people to repent, in readiness for the coming of Jesus. Then Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God and healed many people as he revealed that he was the Son of God. Yet in this reading, Jesus describes the petty criticisms, rejection, and perhaps misunderstandings, as like being with children playing games in the market-places. In your journey of faith, have you also come across people who’ve criticized you, who’ve mocked your faith, and perhaps rejected you? Can you recall how you felt when this happened? Picture this person, or these people now. Why do you think they might have reacted in this way? As you listen to the reading again, try to feel the Lord’s exasperation of his generation. “Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds”, Jesus says. As you approach the end of your prayer, ask the Lord to show you where your own deeds have been a witness, for example, your love for others, or your faithfulness to God, or something else. End your prayer time today in gratitude for the words, works and promises of John the Baptist and Jesus, and how, because of these, their wisdom is lived out through your faith. O Wisdom Lord and Ruler Root of Jesse Key of David Rising Sun King of the Nations Emmanuel Come, Lord Jesus.