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Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’ (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10) Reflection Like most moms, my children bestowed Christmas coupons upon me as gifts. When they were little, these were often strips of paper decorated with coloring and stickers offering a hug or a kiss or a chore, like cleaning their rooms. But I genuinely loved these so much, the tradition continued into middle and high school, growing more elaborate and specific: Good for one car wash, or I will wash the dishes an extra night, or one of my favorites, Let’s have tea together. These presents were, in fact, sacrifices of time and attention. So, as a parent I truly understand the deep meaning such gifts convey. They are a gift of Self. Why do we grow out of such traditions? Would you rather receive a temperature-control, smart mug or a morning at the kitchen table with a cooling cup of coffee but your college kid telling you all about the internship they just finished? Gift certificate to a spa or an afternoon with your grandmother, painting her fingernails while she recounts the color polish she wore on the day she married your dad? Remember: time and self are the most precious of commodities, and memories outlast any manufacturer’s warranty. –Heather Wolf Prayer Dear Father, all things come from you. You give without limit; you gave your very Son. Let me put aside just a little time for You each day. May my offerings be of Self, in your honor and to your will. Amen. Our devotions are based on this Sunday’s Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). The RCL is a three-year cycle of readings telling the story of our Christian faith and corresponding to the season church calendar. On any given Sunday, we are hearing and praying and examining the same Scripture with millions of Christians around the world. In our current Year C, the Old Testament readings progress through the Prophets and have the theme of the day that it is connected to the Gospel reading. The Psalm, a song the congregation sings in response to the Old Testament reading, most often corresponds to the theme of the Hebrew Lessons and/or that of the Gospel Lesson. The lesson from the Epistles or from Acts typifies the church’s focus on the meaning of Christ for today. The Gospel lesson is connected to the season of the Church Year. This year, our gospel readings are from Luke, who writes that Jesus is the universal Savior and the perfect Son of Man. In the current season of Advent, we long for Christ’s coming: Christ coming as a baby; Christ coming again; Christ in our lives today.
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