A friend once wrote: "Learning to weep, learning to keep vigil, learning to wait for the dawn. Perhaps this is what it means to be human." It is hard to really believe this because we constantly find ourselves clinging to people, books, events, experiences, projects and plans, secretly hoping that this time it will be different... The few times, however, that we do obey our severe masters and listen carefully to our restless hearts, we may start to sense that in the midst of our sadness, there is joy, that in the midst of our fears there is peace, that in the midst of our greediness there is the possibility of compassion.
Henri J.M. Nouwen
Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life, pg 24
Scripture:
4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:4-5, 11-12
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Book of Common Prayer
The
Collect.
ALMIGHTY
God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him,
and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we being regenerate,
and made thy children by adoption and grace. may daily be renewed by thy
Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth
with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
NOW
I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from
a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors
until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fulness
of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under
the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
time adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou
art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an. heir of God through
Christ. Galatians 4:1-
THE
birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused
to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the
Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing
to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But
while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared
unto him in a dream, saying. Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take
unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, arid thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for lie shall save his people from their sins. Now all this
was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the
prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel
of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not
till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Matthew1:18-
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