Love
Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Annunciation
Christmas Eve
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In
the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to
Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to
a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of
David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The
angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is
with you.”
29 Mary
was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might
be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be
afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You
will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of
the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants
forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since
I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on
you, and the power of the Most Highwill overshadow you. So the holy
one to be born will be called[a] the
Son of God. 36 Even
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she
who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May
your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:26-38
Annunciation
Fra Angelica
From the Yorck Project
1434
Painting
Museo diocesano di Cartona
Cortona
Italy
Annunciation (detail)
Fra Angelica
The world is indeed full of peril,
and in it there are many dark places;
but still there is much that is fair,
and though in all lands love is now mingled with
grief,
it grows perhaps the greater.
J.R.R. Tolkien
What is Christmas?
It is the tenderness of the past,
courage for the present,
and hope for the future.
~
Agnes M. Pahro
Christmas goodies at Merit’s
Merit
with her Donald pillow
Penny and Barb
Mary
and Danna
Carolers
Painted Toe Art Society
at Nancy Priest’s lovely home
Cheryl
took a selfie … Dennis, Carolyn, Pat, CV, Nancy, Johanna
Seniors’ Group at Penny's
Penny
Simpson
Steve
and Rachael
Roger
Ambrosier
PLEASE,
PLEASE, PLEASE! Just ONE more treat!
Peace on Earth, good will to men.
Sung by Bing Crosby
Love came down on Christmas
Day
so many years ago and
brought
the greatest happiness the
world would ever know...
Peace came down on Christmas
Day to fill the hearts of men with
all the sweet tranquility each
Christmas brings again...
Joy came down on Christmas Day
as angels came to earth
heralding the miracle of our
Messiah's birth.
~ Anonymous
December 24, 2023 Fourth Sunday of Advent Year B
Previous OPQs may be found at:
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the
permission of www.agnusday.org
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers
salvation to all people. 12 It
teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to
redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that
are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Titus
2:11-14
Christmas Eve
Agnus Day appears with the
permission of www.agnusday.org
LECTIONARY
Fourth Sunday of Advent—December 24
2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16
Luke 1:46b–55 or Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26
Romans 16:25–27
Luke 1:26–38
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Eve)—December 24
Isaiah 9:2–7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11–14
Luke 2:1–14 [15–20]
First Reading Isaiah 9:2-7
2 The people who
walked in darkness
have seen a great
light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness —
on them light has
shined.
3 You have
multiplied the nation,
you have increased
its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the
harvest,
as people exult
when dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of
their burden,
and the bar across
their shoulders,
the rod of their
oppressor,
you have broken as
on the day of Midian.
5 For all the boots
of the tramping warriors
and all the
garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as
fuel for the fire.
6 For a child has
been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
7 His authority
shall grow continually,
and there shall be
endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish
and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time
onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
1 O sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD,
all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his
salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works
among all the peoples.
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be
praised;
he is to be revered
above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made
the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty
are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the
peoples,
ascribe to the LORD
glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering,
and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him,
all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD is king!
The world is firmly
established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the
peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar,
and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult,
and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for
joy
13 before the LORD; for
he is coming,
for he is coming to
judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples
with his truth.
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the
present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the
glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He it is who gave himself for
us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of
his own who are zealous for good deeds.
1In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all
the world should be registered. 2This was the
first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be
registered. 4Joseph also
went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called
Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary,
to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came
for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave
birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8In that
region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. 9Then an
angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. 10But the
angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of
great joy for all the people: 11to you is
born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you
will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the
highest heaven,
and on earth peace
among those whom he favors!”
15When the
angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the
Lord has made known to us.” 16So they went
with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known
what had been told them about this child; 18and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words
and pondered them in her heart. 20The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and
seen, as it had been told them