Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 22, 2024Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-56)Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:1-24; Revelation 9:13-10:11“for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;” (Luke 1:48)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Blessed are you among women To be called the mother of God by the small whispering wordAnd so much worse by those without ears to hear.The virgin shall conceive and bear abuse. But she named it all Immanuel.God with us. For the belittled and the befouled The mocked and reviled, the virgin gives a hymn.He has regard for the humiliated. who in their shame would prefer sticks and stones to wordsused to cause much deeper hurt He sheds precious blood and names the least of these holy.  Exalting what has been profaned,and blessing what others only curse.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  -Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.