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| Image by Ansgar Walk |
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A GREETING
I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
I will remember your wonders of old.
(Psalm 77:11)
A READING
I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
(2 Timothy 1:3-7)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
Remember me, O my God, for good.
(Nehemiah 13:31a)
A PRAYER
For the might of your wind on the waters
For the swelling of the open sea
and the rushing of crested waves
thanks be to you oh God.
For the strength of desire in my body
for the sap of life that flows
and the yearnings for birth and abundance
thanks be to you.
Restore me in the image of your love this day
that the longings of my heart may be true.
Restore me in the image of your love this day
that my passions for life may be full.
- from Celtic Benediction: Morning and Night Prayer
by J. Philip Newell
VERSE OF THE DAY
I will remember my covenant that is between me and you
and every living creature of all flesh.
(Genesis 9:15a)
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Every other day, we will feature an animated image
that captures the beauty or endurance of God's creatures.
This silent video of surfing sealions was captured by Ryan L
(@lawofthelandnsea) by way of Seven_seas_explorer on Instagram
What is the covenant we have with nature? How do we commit to remembering it?
When the dark wood fell before me, and all the paths were overgrown. When the priests of pride say there is no other way, I tilled the sorrows of stone.”
These are the lyrics of Loreena McKennitt’s song called Dante’s Prayer, inspired by a journey she made by train across Siberia while reading the Italian poet Dante’s poem Inferno. McKennitt’s strong affinity with Celtic spirituality and music has led her to write and record many songs in the Celtic tradition. “When the dawn seemed forever lost,” is another lyric we hear, and later, "please remember me." How many times have we been awake at night, or in the midst of a challenging emotional experience in daytime that we have asked God to “please remember me."
A deeper history of Celtic spirituality extends across the continent of Europe and into Asia. There were pagan Celtic peoples in these regions while Moses walked the Sinai desert. From the third century CE until the Middle Ages, Celtic followers of Jesus in the Irish-British isles were in tension and/or conformity with the Roman church that was also present. Some communities were more associated with Catholic traditions and theologies, while others remained distinct and separate.
Throughout scripture, God forms relationships with God’s people through covenants of remembrance, and then God remembers that covenant at other times. When we are able to remember someone in a positive meaningful way, we keep those relationships alive, even if the ones being remembered have gone. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul remembers those in Timothy's family who had influence over him and whom he knows are sustained by their own relationships in faith. Remembering each other returns us to loving connections and commitments. When we remember Jesus at the Eucharist, we are reminding ourselves of God’s deep love for us and of our own commitment to being in relationship with God.
How do you remember Jesus in your own day-to-day struggles and joys?
How will you make space in Advent for remembering him?
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| Image by Peter Prokosch |
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LC† Come Holy Darkness is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help to support extended offerings throughout the year. Thank you and peace be with you!