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Magnificat focus: “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior”
Contributor: Rev. Elizabeth Cole Goodrich ’03
Leader: We light the candle of Joy today
– because, even now, in these turbulent days,
the light shines in darkness,
and the darkness did not,
and will never, overcome it.
We join with Mary and the prophets who came before her
as we magnify the Lord with Joy that overcomes fear.
Leader: Hear these words from the Psalmist:
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
People: Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy;
Leader: Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126:1-3)
People: The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
Leader: And these words, from the Gospel according to John:
All things came into being through him,
and without him not one thing came into being.
People: What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. (John 1:3-4)
All sing or say:
O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Leader: We light the first candle of Hope,
People: Where fear narrows our vision,
let this light widen our sight.
(The first candle (blue/purple) is lit.)
Leader: We light the candle of Peace.
People: Peace that lives within us that is the promise of a liberation birthing, truth telling God in flesh.
(The second candle (blue/purple) is lit.)
Leader: We light the candle of Joy.
People: We will bring the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
Leader: You shall be called priests of the Lord,
you shall be named ministers of our God.
People: With prophets and apostles, and with all the saints, we rejoice in the Lord.
(The third (pink) candle is lit.)
Leader: Lord of All and Savior of each one of us, grant us Joy.
The Joy that is contentment and delight,
and the Joy that comes from the assurance you are at work
in us, through us, and in spite of us, because you so love the world.
In this season of Joy, we watch and we wait,
we marvel and we wonder. Come quickly. Amen.
All: Come, Lord Jesus, our Light and our Salvation.
Let us magnify the Lord with hope, peace, and joy that overcomes fear!
Rev. Elizabeth C. Goodrich ’03 is a Columbia Theological Seminary alum and the current Chair of the Board of the Trustees for CTS.
Listen to what Advent means to Elizabeth at tinyurl.com/CTSAdventMeans
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