Weekly Pastoral
Second Sunday of Advent
I was doing so well adventing (yes, Advent is a noun AND a verb)…
We had the tree up with a mere single strand of white lights and no ornaments. We were listening to melancholy Advent music (see below for a great Advent playlist). We lit our single candle on the Advent wreath. And then, this week… We went full ‘Merican Christmas.
We’ve watched Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (a must-see) and one of those algorithmically tuned prince/princess Christmas movies on Netflix (which was impeccably good, I must say). Our tree is buckling under the weight of its ornaments. And we’ve moved into full-on Christmas music.
‘Tis really hard to Advent when you have a young child full of Christmas spirit (and an inner child full of Christmas spirit). BUT we made it further along than last year, so I count that as a win!
This week marks the Second Sunday of Advent on ye olde’ liturgical calendar. Below are all the basic resources you need for your devotional life. Light that second candle on your wreath with me and enjoy the anticipation of God who moves in with us in the birth of Jesus in three weeks.
First Sunday of Advent candle blessing
Praise to you, O God, who gives us courage to start again.
You fasten righteousness around your waist
and baptize with the Holy Spirit’s fire.
Bless us as we mirror your mighty fire in these simple flames,
and teach us to mirror your justice in the paths we prepare.
We ask that peace abound,
until none hurt or destroy over all the earth.
Amen.
Prayer of the Week
Second Sunday of Advent
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Readings of the Week
The origin of Advent as a season of fasting to prepare for baptisms at Epiphany is evident on the Second Sunday, which introduces the fiery preaching and baptismal ministry of John the Baptist. God comes, in the past in the history of Israel and the incarnation of Jesus, in the present in the word and sacrament of each Sunday, and in the future at the end of all things. The preaching of John the Baptist calls us to prepare for God—perhaps in many ways quite different from our usual preparation for Christmas.
First reading
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Second reading
Romans 15:4-13
Gospel
Matthew 3:1-12
Weekly Grab Bag of Miscellany
is one of the few Substacks that I financially support. I’m a long-time fan and I highly recommend you give her 'stack a follow here: .Speaking of Tsh, she recently created a playlist for Advent that I’m thoroughly enjoying. It’s just great background music - mostly instrumental - that isn’t quite full-blown Christmas music (if you’re doing a better job of Adventing than I am)…
Weekly Posts
In Comfort + Joy,
Jonas
