An Advent Meditation

It is useful to stop.

Stop and consider advent.  The coming of the king.  During Advent we need to be silent.

Consider with me for just one moment our own brokenness.  The middle east war is only heating up, yet thousands have already fallen to the atrocities of ISIS. In America we are more divided than we have been since the civil war.  Even the church herself battles within herself over what we think of certain letters (LGBTQ).  It is a time for silence in the face of this.  Take a few moments and listen to the oldest hymn of the church.  Sung for nearly 17 centuries.  Really take a minute (4 actually) and just listen.  Take the time and meditate on the King who comes.

Stand before it and be silent.

here are the lyrics:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descending
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanquish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!