Third Thursday of Advent
– You can ponder on the picture. For a method of praying with pictures click button below.
– You can pray on the words of Scripture. For methods of praying with scripture click button below.
– You can follow the suggestions in the daily ‘Reflection’.
– You can listen to the music
Today’s Scripture
Luke 1:8-19 ESV
Now while he was serving as priest before God
when his division was on duty,
according to the custom of the priesthood,
he was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And the whole multitude of the people
was praying outside at the hour of incense.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord
standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him,
and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him,
‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great before the Lord.
And he must not drink wine or strong drink,
and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,
even from his mother’s womb.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’
And Zechariah said to the angel,
‘How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.’
And the angel answered him,
‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God,
and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Reflection
Today we have another annunciation story. Zechariah struggles to believe the good news, the new possibility, the new direction, the newness of life.
Ask God to show you where over this last year there have been unexpected new possibilities and new life.
Today’s Music
Behold, behold I make all things new
O stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.
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