Peace- Advent Sunday 3


People of God: return!
You are called to be God’s own
From the mountains announce the good news
God comes in justice and peace,
To all who follow His ways.
You are God’s children.
Lord, make us one in the peace of Christ
Today and for ever.
Amen

Church of England Advent resources

All week we have been considering God's call- the dramatic call of Paul on the road to Damascus, the obedience shown by Mary in answering God's call on her life, the patience of Simeon and Anna as they waited to hear and see God fulfill His promise to them. 
Here in the prayer for this Advent Sunday we hear what that call may entail- we are called to be God's own.
In one way that call speaks words of great encouragement to us- when we are lost and lonely, when we feel as if we don't belong, and Christmas is a difficult reminder of what we lack, then we hear that God calls us to be His own as words of homecoming, words of love, balm for our fractured souls.
But this call should also stir us and challenge us. If we are to be God's own then we are to follow in His ways, and His ways are ways of justice and peace. Peace is more than a fuzzy emotion, stencilled onto a Christmas decoration- it is a difficult thing to broker, it means facing up to what has been broken and our part in that,  and making the first move towards reconciliation. 

And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.
(Micah 6:8)

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