Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'

Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 25

    R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

    Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
    teach me your paths,
    Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my savior,
    and for you I wait all the day.

    R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

    Good and upright is the LORD;
    thus he shows sinners the way.
    He guides the humble to justice,
    and teaches the humble his way.

    R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

    All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
    toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
    The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
    and his covenant, for their instruction.

    R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, beginning at the 3rd Chapter, and the 12th Verse:

       And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.  Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, so do you more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

+ A Reading from the Gospel of Luke, beginning at the 21st Chapter, and the 25th Verse:

        "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.  But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;  for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.  But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."

        This Sunday's readings reflect the theme of prophecy -- the prophecy of the end of the old Age, and the beginning of the New.  A new dispensation, a new Testament, and a new message of salvation is about to be proclaimed.  We, too, in this 2000th year after Christ are standing on the  edge of a new age, a new era, and a new church year.

        In today's first reading, Jeremiah repeats the Lord's promise to both Israel and Judah -- the whole of the Jewish people -- He will bring forth a branch from the Tree of David -- raise up a Messiah out of David's descendants.  This righteous one will rule, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.
        We take this to mean Jesus, of course -- who was of the House of David, and who brought the righteousness of the Father to mankind, wrapped in a message of love and salvation.  In him not only Judah, but all of mankind is saved, and not only Jerusalem, but every city may dwell securely.

        Paul talks about the world to come -- in terms of how we must prepare, must act -- in today's Epistle.  He repeats Christ's message of love, and points to this as the road to holiness, the way to heaven when the Lord returns in Glory.  He urges his hearers (and us) to live and please God, in love and righteousness, as  we have been taught by the Church and the generations of saints before us.

        Luke's Gospel foretells that Second Coming,  and how the world will be shaken and signs will appear in the heavens.  Indeed, in every generation from then until now, people have thought to discern those signs, and to say that the Second Coming is nigh -- at any moment the Lord will appear in Glory, and roll up time an the world into eternity.  They are right, of course, and have been in every age, for the Lord Jesus is always coming -- coming into our lives, transforming the Universe with the power of His and the Father's love, and making a new era.

        In Jesus there is no "ordinary" time, not "ordinary" space.  By His suffering, death and resurrections, he has transformed the world, and us, if we but realize it.  The ground of life has shifted -- a great earthquake of the spirit is rolling through us.   We need to open our hearts and minds to him who will be born a babe in Bethlehem again this year -- as he is every year, and indeed, every moment.

        In the words of the Psalmist:    "Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;  teach me your paths, guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior,  and for you I wait all the day."  The message of Advent is preparation for the Word of the Lord -- both the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, Our Savior, but also the word of wisdom, the teaching of love and the way to God.  Let us then, with the Psalmist, sing:   To you, O Lord, I lift my soul!

         In the Name of
        The Father     +
        And of the Son
        And of the Holy Spirit
Amen.