Third Sunday in Advent

Virtual Advent Wreaths by Dawn by Design

This day marks the Third Sunday in Advent, when the rose candle is lit. At Lake Murray, someone lit the third purple candle instead of the rose candle, and it took all my resolve to not sneak up to the front and light the correct candle during our "greeting time." (Okay, okay, so I obsess over Advent!)

But lighting the rose candle reminds us that joy is indeed coming...joy is on its way. And when we're this deeply into Advent, I need the reminder of the joy that is indeed coming...and coming soon.

The Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent:

O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

After church today we met with the Scripture Reading Team, and Keith and I both practiced our passages that we'll be reading in January during the church services. My passage is Genesis 1--which is definitely a very long passage, and Keith's is Acts 16:25-34. Fortunately, I am reading mine on the day after the New Year when we have only one church service planned, so I only have to read it once; Keith will be reading a week later.

So as we celebrate this Third Week in Advent, we also remember these wise words of this Christian saint who suffered much for the Gospel of Christ:

"A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door to freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."
--Dietrich Bonhoeffer

May we all seek His face during this Advent Season, recognizing that in Him is our only hope of real joy, of true peace.

Wishing you a blessed Third Week of Advent,