Our word for December 24th is “ANGEL”, taken from the 4th Sunday of Advent Gospel reading from Matthew chapter 1: Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

An angel of the Lord, a messenger from the holy one, speaks to a troubled Joseph in a dream, a vision. Much like Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke explained to Mary what she had been chosen for, likewise this angel, in Matthew’s gospel, encourages Jopseph to accept what has happened and who this child is – Jesus, who will save the people from their sins. I cannot even imagine. God sends salvation through this most unlikely plan and it certainly took special people to be the earthly parents of the Messiah himself!

Have you ever received a message from an angel? Let us know in the comments.

Our word for December 23rd is Mother. It is taken from the gospel of Matthew chapter 1, the gospel reading for the 4th Sunday of Advent: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Mother of God, the “Theotokos” in the Greek (God Bearer), the one Barbara Brown Taylor says, “Smuggled God into the world” is deserving of our honor and praise. The word mother brings up many emotions in each of us, some grand, some not so much. The Mother Mary, Hail Mary full of grace, is told she will be doing this amazing act and gives the most famous “yes” in history. For many of us, our own mothers and mother figures give grand “yes” answers on our behalf all the time. Thanks be to God for the Holy Mother and for all mothers and those who mother others!

Our Advent Word for Monday, December 22nd is Declared. It is taken from the Epistle reading for the 4th Sunday of Advent. Romans chapter 1 includes: Paul, a servant^* of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, ³the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit^* of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord

The dictionary says declared means “to make known formally, officially, or explicitly”. Paul makes the point that all the prophecies regarding the Messiah were fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all of which declares him to be “Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead.” God also declares Jesus to be the Son at his baptism, transfiguration, and in John’s gospel when the Greeks ask to meet him. It is, in this sense, a royal edict, a holy announcement, an affirmative statement as to who Jesus was and is and will be. Our Lord.

Our Advent word for Sunday, December 21st is DEEP. It is taken from the 1st lesson for the 4th Sunday of Advent – Isaiah 7: Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 

“As deep as Sheol” is just a phrase used to describe the deepest place they could imagine, just as “high as heaven” indicating the highest place. God tells Ahaz, who was King of Israel and well known for ignoring God and worshipping false idols, to ask for a sign. Ahaz refuses so God sends Isaiah the prophet to him to give him a sign anyway. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel“. The prophet foretells the coming of the Messiah, Immanuel (God with us). Ahaz was warned constantly by several prophets to change his ways but he never got deep enough in his faith to do so. Fortunately his son, Hezekiah was a good king who followed God and reformed much of what Ahaz had done. Hezekiah’s faith was deep, and unlike his father he was true to that faith. Advent is a good time for all of us to examine how deep our faith is, and high how it can go to honor God.