1st Scripture Reading – Psalm 150
Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
2nd Scripture Reading – Matthew 2:1-6
The Visit of the Magi
1
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east
came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we
observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.”
3 When King Herod heard this,
he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, 4 and calling together all the chief priests and
scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him,
“In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:
6
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
Lighting the Advent Candle – Week 4 – Love
Reader 1: When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, announcing God’s plan for her to conceive and give
birth to the Messiah, “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’” And yet, only a
few months later, Mary sings to Elizabeth.
Reader 2: We read of their interaction and Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-49:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of
the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty
One has done great things for me—holy is his name.”
Reader 3: We, like Mary, hear God’s call to be part of making God’s dream for our salvation and
flourishing a reality, and we question, “How can this be? I am only…” Yet, like Mary, the “onlys” that
make us hesitate are gifts God can and will use as God’s love transforms us into bearers of good news.
Congregation: We wait as people who have encountered divine Love that disrupts the status quo and
ushers us into abundant life marked by mutual love and peace that flows from the flourishing of all
people.
Reader 4: We light these candles as signs of our shocking hope, our just peace, our fierce joy, and the
love that transforms us. May Love grow within us, transforming us into bold witnesses of God’s
salvation with our voices and our lives. Amen.
Light the four outer candles of the Advent wreath.