Advent – 2016

The Introit for Advent I

Psalm 25 (Ps. Ibid)

 “Unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my soul: my God, I have put my trust in thee, O let me not be confounded: neither let mine enemies triumph over me: for all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed. Shew me thy ways, O Lord: and teach me thy paths”

From the Rector;

By tradition we know Advent to be a penitential season. While this is true, we often forget that Advent is also a season of hope; the hope that comes with the Incarnation of Our Lord. By this singular miracle God has given us His promise of Salvation; by this singular miracle He has announced His triumph over sin and death. By this singular miracle He has declared for all people and all time His supremacy over the things of this world.

It is our responsibility as Christians not only to acknowledge the power of God over our lives, but to readily submit ourselves to His Will. To do this, we must set aside our wants, our desires, our needs, and our pride; for only then can we truly lift ourselves up to Him; only then can we be ready to receive His instruction; only then can we be ready to see the path that God has set before us.

During this Advent season, I urge you to engage in those acts of penitence that are meant to bring us to a state of reconciliation with Almighty God and to prepare us for the Coming of Our Lord at Christmas. But I also urge you to prayerfully submit yourself to God’s Holy Will; to lift up your soul to Him and ask that He may show you the path that He has laid before us. And may this Advent season fill with you with hope; the hope that will inspire you in all your actions in the coming year; the hope that leaves us not ashamed to say that we are Christians; The hope that we are given as a result of the miracle of God’s Holy Incarnation.

Wishing you a Blessed Advent,

Yours in Christ, 

Daniel J. Jennings+