Candlelighting Reading for
Dec 20 (4th Sunday in Advent):
Leader:
This is the
season of Joy.
We remember
the joy Elizabeth felt when she heard Mary’s greeting:
Her child
leaped in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Mary, too,
is filled with joy, saying,
“My soul magnifies
the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God!”
Even in
difficult times, we can find reasons for joy.
We see the
first green leaves to appear after a time of drought,
We hear a
bird chirping in the crisp morning air.
We know
people who, even in their own times of trial,
reach out
to others with love and caring.
And we
wonder...
How do we
listen, especially during these dark days, for God’s word?
How can we
open our heavy hearts to the joy of Christmas?
What do we
do to share that joy with others?
Can we
simply allow ourselves to shout out, “Glory be to God!”
We light
the first Advent candle,
Remembering
our hope for justice and peace for our world.
We light
the second Advent candle,
Wishing for
freedom from fear for all God’s people.
We light
the third Advent candle,
Praying for
what is right and fair for all in our world.
We light
this fourth Advent candle today,
Opening our
hearts to receive the joy of Christmas.
One: In
hope, we anticipate the One who is to be born, and together we pray.
All: Come,
Emmanuel, Come!
Litany
by K. K. Hudson-Bates
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